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.anz, 

V.B 


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VASAVADATTA 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


J V 

COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


INDO-IRANIAN  SERIES 


EDITED  BY 

A.  V.  WILLIAMS  JACKSON 

PROFESSOR  OF  INDO-IRANIAN  LANGUAGES 
IN  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


Volume  8 


Nefo  Yorft 

COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

1913 


All  rights  reserved 


VASAVADATTA 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


SUBANDHU 

TRANSLATED,  WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION 
AND  NOTES,  BY 

LOUIS  H.  GRAY,  Ph.D. 


Nefo  York 

COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

1913 


All  rights  reserved 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 
SALES  AGENTS 

NEW  YORK : 

LEMCKE  & BUECHNER 

30-32  WEST  27TH  STREET 

LONDON : 

HENRY  FROWDE 

AMEN  CORNER,  E.C. 

TORONTO  : 

HENRY  FROWDE 

25  RICHMOND  STREET,  W. 


PRINTED  FROM  TYPE  BY  HORACE  HART,  M.A. 
OXFORD,  ENGLAND 
JANUARY, 1913 


TO  PROFESSOR  A.  V.  WILLIAMS  JACKSON 


My  Dear  Guru — That  you  consented,  on  one  of  the  many 
occasions  that  I have  been  privileged  to  be  your  guest,  to  accept 
the  dedication  of  this  translation  of  India’s  oldest  formal  romance, 
has  ever  been  to  me  a source  of  keenest  joy.  It  is  to  you  that 
I owe  my  knowledge  of  India  and  her  sister  land,  Iran ; and  to 
you  I am  indebted,  as  to  a guru  indeed — that  word  which  no 
tongue  can  truly  translate — for  so  much  that  makes  for  true 
manhood,  without  which,  as  without  charity,  mere  knowledge  is 
but  ‘ as  sounding  brass,  or  a tinkling  cymbal.’  I have  tried 
to  make  my  work,  here  as  always,  worthy  both  of  you  and 
of  Columbia,  to  which  we  are  each  so  loyal.  Generously  you 
have  helped  me,  even  when  your  leisure  was  most  limited,  and 
gratefully  I acknowledge  your  aid ; for  of  you  I can  say  with 
all  my  heart,  as  the  Irish  host  of  legend  cried  to  their  hero, 
Cailte,  Adrae  buaid  ocus  bennachtain ; is  mor  in  fis  ocus  in 
faillsiugud  firinde  doberi  duind  ar  each  ni  fiarfaigther  dti , 

‘ Success  and  benison  attend  thee ; great  is  the  lore  and  the 
disclosure  of  truth  which  thou  givest  us  upon  all  that  is  asked 
of  thee ! ’ 


L.  H.  G. 


PREFACE 


The  precept  of  Horace,  nonum  prematur  in  annum , has  been 
more  than  obeyed  in  this  volume,  for  it  was  on  November  3, 
1901,  that  I began  the  translation  of  the  Vasavadatta.  From 
that  day  Subandhu’s  romance  has  never  been  long  absent  from 
my  thoughts,  although  many  practical  exigencies,  some  of  them 
not  wholly  agreeable  to  a scholar,  have  forced  me  again  and 
again  to  lay  the  task  aside,  often  for  six  months  at  a stretch. 
Yet  these  clouds,  too,  have  had  their  silver  lining,  for  not  only 
has  my  work  thus  had  time  to  ripen,  but  much  has  appeared 
bearing  on  the  novel  during  these  intervals,  or  has  been  called 
to  my  attention  by  friends.  The  first  draft  of  the  translation  was, 
for  example,  almost  completed  when,  in  March,  1903,  Dr.  George 
C.  O.  Haas  noted  for  me  an  entry  in  a catalogue  of  Stechert,  of 
New  York,  which  enabled  me  to  purchase  a copy  of  the  edition  of 
the  Vasavadatta  printed  in  Telugu  script  at  Madras  in  1862.  This 
necessitated  a renewed  study  of  the  text  in  comparison  with  the 
edition  of  Hall,  and  ultimately  led  me  to  include  a transliteration 
of  the  ‘ southern  ’ recension  in  my  work,  together  with  the  variants 
of  all  the  other  editions.  Some  of  these  would  have  been 
inaccessible  to  me,  had  it  not  been  for  the  courtesy  of  the  India 
Office,  which,  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  F.  W.  Thomas,  its  librarian, 
most  generously  loaned  me  the  texts  I needed,  so  that  I might 
use  them  at  leisure  in  my  own  study. 

Excepting  the  blank-verse  renderings  of  the  few  Sanskrit  stanzas 
of  the  Vasavadatta,  I have  sought  to  make  the  translation  as  literal 
as  the  English  language  would  permit,  and  throughout  I have 
spared  no  pains  to  facilitate  reference  to  the  original  text,  as 
well  as  to  explain  each  allusion  that  I could  elucidate.  In  the 
latter  regard  I have  considered  others  than  professed  Sanskritists, 
for  I have  ventured  to  hope  that  some  copies  of  the  work  may 

vii 


PREFACE 


viii 

fall  into  the  hands  of  students  of  literature,  who  may  here  find 
points  of  similarity  to,  or  divergence  from,  the  writings  to  which 
their  special  attention  may  be  directed.  I dare  not  flatter 
myself  that  I have  invariably  hit  the  true  meaning  of  the  original, 
for  there  are  passages  which  repeated  study,  through  these  eleven 
years,  has  failed  to  solve  to  my  own  complete  satisfaction.  But 
even  for  this  I scarcely  grieve,  for,  like  Propertius,  I feel, 

Quod  si  deficiant  uires,  audacia  certe 
Laus  erit : in  magnis  et  uoluisse  sat  est. 

And  if  the  cruces  that  have  baffled  me  shall  be  solved  by  other 
minds,  none  will  feel  greater  joy  in  their  success  than  I. 

It  is  with  a feeling  almost  akin  to  regret  that  I lay  down  my 
pen.  Perhaps  to  me  the  Vasavadatta  has  deeper  associations 
than  to  almost  any  one  else  who  has  laboured  on  it.  In  hours 
of  bitterness  and  sorrow  it  has  helped  me  to  forget ; and  it  has 
heightened  the  pleasure  of  happy  days.  With  all  its  faults, 
I love  it ; possibly  I have  even  been  so  blind  as  to  reckon  its 
failings  virtues  ; possibly,  too,  the  innate  Anglo-Saxon  sympathy 
for  the  ‘ under  dog  ’ has  made  me  only  the  more  determined  in 
its  praise.  Is  it  worth  while,  or  not  ? As  the  Arabs  say,  Allahu 
alanui , ‘ God  best  knows  (and  man  can’t  tell).’ 

I am  happy  to  have  had,  in  my  work,  the  assistance  of  many 
friends — Mr.  Thomas  and  Dr.  Haas,  to  whom  I have  already 
alluded ; others  to  whose  courtesies  reference  will  be  made  in  the 
course  of  the  book — Dr.  George  A.  Grierson,  Professor  Theodor 
Zachariae,  Mr.  Richard  Hall  ; Professor  Washburn  Hopkins, 
whose  notes  aided  in  introducing  me  to  the  mysteries  of 
Grantha  script ; Professor  Charles  R.  Lanman,  who  enabled  me 
to  use  the  Harvard  copy  of  Hall’s  edition  until  I could  procure 
my  own — a courtesy  which  had  already  been  accorded  me  for 
a year  previous  by  the  library  of  the  Deutsche  Morgenlandische 
Gesellschaft ; Mr.  T.  K.  Balasubrahmanya,  who  replied  in  full 
to  my  queries  concerning  the  ‘ southern  ’ text ; and  Mr.  G. 
Payn  Quackenbos,  who  called  my  attention  to  the  reference  to 
Subandhu  in  the  Subhasitaratnabhandagara , while  to  Dr.  Charles 
J.  Ogden  I am  indebted  for  a number  of  helpful  suggestions  and 


PREFACE 


IX 


corrections,  particularly  in  the  Introduction.  In  a very  special 
way  my  thanks  are  due  also  to  Mr.  Alexander  Smith  Cochran, 
whose  interest  in  the  Columbia  University  Indo-Iranian  Series 
has  rendered  possible  the  printing  of  this  particular  volume. 

My  gratitude  to  my  friend  and  teacher,  Professor  A.  V.  Wil- 
liams Jackson — here  editor  as  well — is  more  fittingly  expressed 
elsewhere  within  these  covers.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  he  read 
with  me  word  by  word  the  second  of  the  three  drafts  of  this 
translation,  and  that  wellnigh  every  page  bears  some  token  of 
his  careful  scholarship.  And  to  one  other — my  wife — my  deepest 
obligations  are  due  for  whatsoever  may  be  best  in  my  work. 
She  has  subjected  every  line  to  a most  minute  and  unsparing 
revision,  besides  taking  upon  herself  the  arduous  task  of  pre- 
paring my  manuscript  for  the  press.  Her  interest  in  the  work 
has  never  faltered,  and  to  her  criticism,  at  once  most  kindly  and 
most  severe,  I owe  more  than  I can  tell. 

Louis  H.  Gray. 

November  25,  1912. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Preface vii 

Abbreviations xii 

Introduction i 

Translation 43 

Transcription 143 

Bibliography 197 

Lexicographical  Appendix 200 


XI 


ABBREVIATIONS 


ad  loc. 
apud 
bis 
cf. 

El. 

H. 

IA. 

Introd. 

JAOS. 

JASBe. 

JRAS. 

JRASBo. 

KZ. 


l.c. 

M. 

No. 
n.  p. 
op.  cit. 

pp. 

S. 

sqq. 

s.v. 

SWAW. 
Tel.  ed. 

Tel.  ed.  61 


WZKM. 

ZDMG. 


= {ad  locum),  on  the  passage. 

= in. 

= twice. 

= compare. 

= Epigraphia  Indica. 

= Hall’s  edition  of  the  Vasavadatta. 

= Indian  Antiquary. 

= Introduction. 

= Journal  of  the  American  Oriental  Society. 

= Journal  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal. 

= Journal  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society. 

= Journal  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  Bombay  Branch. 

= Zeitschrift  fur  vergleichende  Sprachforschung  auf  dem 
Gebiete  der  indogermanischen  Sprachen,  ed.  A.  Kuhn 
and  others. 

= {loco  citato'),  at  the  place  previously  cited. 

= edition  of  the  Vasavadatta  in  Telugu  script  printed  at 
Madras  in  1862. 

= number. 

= no  place  of  publication  given. 

= {opus  citatum ),  the  work  previously  cited. 

= pages. 

= edition  of  the  Vasavadatta  printed  at  Srirangam  in  1906- 
1908. 

= ( sequenles ),  following. 

= {sub  verbo)  under  the  word. 

= Sitzungsberichte  der  Wiener  Akademie  der  Wissenschaften. 
= edition  of  the  Vasavadatta  in  Telugu  script  printed  at 
Madras  in  1862. 

= edition  of  the  Vasavadatta  in  Telugu  script  printed  at 
Madras  in  1861. 

= verse. 

= Wiener  Zeitschrift  fur  die  Kunde  des  Morgenlandes. 

= Zeitschrift  der  Deutschen  Morgenlandischen  Gesellschaft. 


Xll 


ABBREVIATIONS 


xiii 

* = when  prefixed  to  a word  or  meaning  in  the  lexicographical 

appendix,  such  word  or  meaning  is  cited  by  the 
St.  Petersburg  lexicons  only  on  the  authority  of  native 
Sanskrit  lexicographers. 

= when  prefixed  to  a word  or  meaning  in  the  lexicographical 
appendix,  such  word  or  meaning  is  entirely  omitted  by 
the  St.  Petersburg  lexicons  ; elsewhere  it  denotes  the 
omission  of  words  or  parts  of  words  to  be  supplied 
from  the  context. 

< > = single  paronomasia. 

<S  » = double  paronomasia. 

<«  »>  = triple  paronomasia. 

( ) = when  placed  around  or  in  words  of  the  transcribed  text, 

the  enclosed  portions  differ  from  the  text  of  Hall ; 
when  placed  around  numerals  in  the  translation  and 
transcription,  these  refer  to  the  pages  of  the  Madras 
edition  of  1862. 

= when  placed  around  or  in  words  of  the  transcribed  text, 
the  enclosed  portions,  though  contained  in  Hall's 
edition,  are  entirely  omitted  by  the  Madras  edition  of 
1862  ; when  placed  around  numerals  in  the  translation 
and  transcription,  these  refer  to  the  pages  of  Hall’s 
edition. 


. 


INTRODUCTION 


Title.  The  title  of  the  Vasavadatta  of  Subandhu,  the  oldest 
romantic  novel  in  India,  seems  to  be  derived  from  that  of  a long 
lost  drama  by  Bhasa,1  the  Svapnavasavadatta,  or  ‘ Dream-Vasa- 
vadatta  ’ (for  compounds  of  this  type  cf.  Wackernagel,  Altindische 
Grammatik , 2.  i.  244-245,  250-253,  Gottingen,  1905).  The 
dream  as  a novelistic  device  in  India  first  occurs  in  Subandhu 
(see  below,  p.  28)  ; though  in  the  drama  it  is  found  in  the  first 
act  of  the  Viddhasalabhahjika  and  the  third  of  the  Karpurama- 
hjari  (both  written  by  Rajasekhara,  who  was  acquainted  with 
Bhasa’s  work),  as  well  as  in  the  first  of  Visvanathabhatta’s 
Srngaravatika  ( Catalogue  of  the  Sanskrit  Manuscripts  in  the 
Library  of  the  India  Office , 7,  1618,  London,  1904).  In  the  fifth 
act  of  Bhasa’s  Svapnavasavadatta  the  hero,  King  Vatsaraja, 
sleeping,  dreams  of  his  love  Vasavadatta,  who  enters,  disguised 
as  an  attendant  of  the  queen,  but  who,  he  thinks,  has  been 
burned  to  death  at  Lavanaka  (cf.  svapnavasavadattasya  ddhakd , 
‘the  conflagration  of  the  “ Dream-Vasavadatta ” ’ [Rajasekhara, 
cited  in  the  Suktimuktavall  (see  Peterson  and  Durgaprasada, 
Subhdsitavali  of  Vallabhadeva , Introd.,  p.  81,  Bombay,  1886)], 
and  Bhasa’s  epithet  jalanamitta,  ‘ friend  of  fire,’  in  Gaiidavaha , 
v.  800),  this  being  employed  both  in  the  famous  fire-scene  in  the 
fourth  act  of  the  Ratnavali  (first  half  of  the  seventh  century) 
and  in  the  Tdpasavatsardja  (before  the  second  half  of  the  ninth 
century  ; see  the  analysis  by  Hultzsch,  in  N achrichten  von  der 
koniglichen  Gesellschaft  der  Wissenschaften  zu  Gottingen , 1886, 
pp.  224-241).  Not  only  was  the  fire-scene  thus  borrowed  from 
Bhasa  by  later  dramatists,  but  from  him,  it  may  be  conjectured, 
came,  at  least  in  literary  form,  the  entire  story  of  Vasavadatta 
and  Udayana,  or  Vatsaraja,  as  given  in  the  Ratnavali , Priya- 

1 On  Bhasa,  see,  in  general,  Hall,  ‘ Fragments  of  Three  Early  Hindu  Dramatists,’ 
in  JASBe.  28.  28-29;  Levi,  Theatre  inaien,  i.  157-160,  2.  31-32,  Paris,  1890. 

B 


2 


vasavadattA 


darsika,  and  Tdpasavatsaraja}  the  ultimate  source  probably- 
being  the  lost  Brhatkatha.  With  the  Vasavadatta  of  these  latter 
works  Subandhu’s  heroine  has  only  her  name  in  common,  nor 
is  any  other  story  concerning  her  known  to  exist  in  Sanskrit 
literature  (cf.  Krishnamachariar,  Introd.,  pp.  48-50;  Lacote, 
Essai  stir  Gunadhya  et  la  Brhatkatha , pp.  15-16,  Paris,  1908). 
Though  sleeping  on  the  stage  is  forbidden  by  Sanskrit  drama- 
turgy, the  hero  of  the  Svapnavasavadatta  dreams  of  the  heroine, 
an  episode  imitated,  I would  suggest,  by  Rajasekhara  in  his 
Viddhasalabhahjika  and  Karpiiramahjarl.  In  similar  fashion 
Subandhu  seems  to  have  derived  from  this  play1  2 both  the  dream- 
episode  and  the  name  of  his  heroine,  who  was  indeed  a ‘ dream- 
Vasavadatta  ’ ; and  it  would  then  appear  that  he  invented  the 
remainder  of  the  romance.  This  is  also  the  opinion  of  Krishna- 
machariar (Introd.,  pp.  48,  50),  who  suggests,  however,  that 
Subandhu  may  have  adapted  some  old  wives’  tale. 

Author.  The  author  of  the  Vasavadatta  was  the  only  Suban- 
dhu to  win  for  himself  a name  in  Sanskrit  literature,  unless 
exception  be  made  in  favour  of  Subandhu,  son  of  Gopayana  or 
Lopayana,who,  according  to  the  Sarvanukramani  (ed.  Macdonell, 
p.  19,  Oxford,  1886),  was  one  of  the  four  authors  of  Rig-  Veda 
5.  24  (cf.  the  legend  concerning  him  in  Brhaddevata,  7.  84-102, 
ed.  and  tr.  Macdonell,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1904).  The  name, 
however,  occurs  with  tolerable  frequency  in  Sanskrit  (cf.  Bohtlingk 
and  Roth,  Sanskrit-  Worterbuch,  7.  1086,  St.  Petersburg,  1875), 
and  it  would  even  seem  to  be  found,  under  the  form  5u-ba-an-di,  or 
Su-ba-an-du,  in  one  of  the  Tell-el-Amarna  Tablets, dating  approxi- 
mately from  the  fourteenth  or  fifteenth  century  B.  C.  (Winckler, 
Thontafeln  von  Tell-el-Amarna , Nos.  224-229,  Berlin,  1896). 

1 To  this  list  Krishnamachariar  (Introd.,  p.  37)  adds  the  lost  drama  Udayanacarita 
(cf.  Levi,  Theatre  indien,  1.92;  2.  39,  Paris,  1890;  Schuyler,  Bibliography  of  the 
Sanskrit  Drama,  p.  90,  New  York,  1906). 

2 In  May,  1910,  the  Svapnavasavadatta  and  nine  other  dramas  of  Bhasa  were  dis- 
covered near  Padmanabhapura  by  Ganapati  £astri,  who  later  found  another  manu- 
script containing,  among  other  plays,  a second  copy  of  the  Svapnavasavadatta.  These 

dramas  were  edited,  after  this  introduction  was  already  in  type,  in  the  Trivandrum 
Sanskrit  Series. 


INTRODUCTION 


3 

Sanskrit  References  to  Subandhu.  References  in  Sanskrit 
literature  and  inscriptions  to  our  Subandhu  (whose  date  is  dis- 
cussed below,  pp.  8-1 1)  are  but  scanty.  By  far  the  most  important 
allusion  is  contained  in  the  eleventh  stanza  of  Bana’s  introduction 
to  his  Harsacarita  (seventh  century)  : 

kavlnam  agalad  darpd  nunam  vasavadattaya 
saktye  ”va  panduputrandm  gataya  karnagocaravi , 

‘verily,  the  pride  of  < poets)  melted  away  through  the  <K  Vasava- 
datta  coming  to  their  ears  » even  as  the  pride  of  the  < sages  > 
melted  away  through  the  Pandavas’  « Indra-given  spear  coming 
nigh  Karna  ».’ 1 Bana  is  also  supposed  to  allude  to  the  Vasava- 
datta when,  in  the  twentieth  stanza  of  his  introduction  to  his 
Kadambari,  he  declares  his  new  work  to  be  iyani  atidvayl  katha , 
‘ this  story  surpassing  the  two,’  these  being,  according  to  the 
commentator,  the  Vasavadatta  and  the  Brhatkatha.  About  a 
century  later  Vakpati,  the  author  of  the  Prakrit  historical  poem 
Gaiidavaha , wrote  (v.  8oo),  in  describing  himself : 

bhasammi  jalanamitte  kantldcvc  ajdssa  rahuare 
sdbandhave  a bandhammi  hdriyande  a anando, 

‘ in  Bhasa — the  friend  of  fire — in  the  author  of  the  Raghu 
( vamsa ) — that  lord  of  beauty — in  Subandhu’s  work,  and  in  that 
of  Haricandra  is  his  delight.’  In  Kaviraja’s  Raghavapandavlya , 
which  dates  from  about  1200  A.  D.,  occurs  the  stanza  (1.  41) : 
subandhur  banabhattas  ca  kaviraja  iti  trayah 
vakroktimarganipunas  caturtho  vidyatc  na  va, 

‘ Subandhu,  Banabhatta,  and  Kaviraja — these  three  be  skilful  in 
the  path  of  ambiguity 2 ; a fourth  there  is  not  found.’  The 

1 This  verse  is  interpolated  at  the  end  of  the  Vasavadatta  by  the  T elugn  and  Grantha 
editions,  and  Krishnamachariar  (Introd.,  pp.  38-39)  implies  that  it  may  have  been 
written  by  Subandhu  and  later  have  found  its  way  into  the  Harsacarita.  His  theory 
is  to  me  untenable.  On  the  use  of  the  signs  < >,  etc.,  see  p.  17. 

2 On  vakrdkti  see  Sahilyadarpaua,  No.  641 ; Appayyadiksita,  Kuvalaydnandakarika , 
I.  158-159;  Kavyaprakaia , tr.  Jha,  pp.  181-182,  Benares,  1S98  ; Bernheimer  and 
Jacobi,  in  ZDMG.  63.  797-821;  64.  130-139,  586-590,  751-759;  65.  308-312. 
Subandhu  is  also  mentioned  immediately  before  Bana  in  the  SarasvatTkanthdhharai:a 
according  to  Muller,  India , What  can  it  Teach  us?,  p.  331,  note  5,  London,  1883, 
but  I have  not  been  able  to  find  the  reference. 


4 vAsavadattA 

twelfth-century  Srikanthacarita  of  Mankha  contains  the  stanza 

(2.  53) : 

menthe  svardviradadhirohini  vasam  yate  subandhau  vidheh 
saute  Jianta  ca  bhdravdu  vighatite  bane  visadasprsah 
vagdevya  viramantu  mantuvidhura  drag  drstayas  cestate 
sistah  kascana  sa  prasadayati  tain  yadvanisadvaninl , 

‘ Mentha  having  mounted  the  elephant  of  the  sky  [i.e.,  having 
died],  Subandhu  having  yielded  to  the  will  of  destiny,  Bharavi, 
alas,  being  at  rest,  and  Bana  being  broken,  let  the  reason-reft 
glances  of  the  sorrow-stricken  goddess  of  speech  [Sarasvatl] 
quickly  find  repose  ; for  any  one  left  that  bestirreth  himself  doth 
win  her,  to  whose  voice  she  is  a goodly  dancer.’  Two  centuries 
later,  Sarngadhara,  quoting  Rajasekhara  (cf.  above,  p.  i),  who 
flourished  about  900  A.  D.,  in  his  Paddhati  (cf.  Aufrecht,  ‘ Ueber 
die  Paddhati  von  (^arngadhara,’  in  ZDMG.  27.77;  & arngadha - 
rapaddhati , ed.  Peterson,  1.  No.  188,  Bombay,  1888),  made  the 
citation : 

bhdso  rdinilasaumildu  vararucih  srlsdhasankah  kavir 
mentho  bharavikaliddsataralah  skandhah  subandhus  ca  yah 
dandl  banadivakardu  ganapatih  kantas  ca  ratnakarah 
siddhd  yasya  sarasvatl  bhagavatl  ke  tasya  sarve  \ 'pi  te, 

‘ Bhasa,  Ramila,  Saumila,  Vararuci,  the  poet  Sahasanka,  Mentha, 
Bharavi,  Kalidasa,  Tarala,  Skandha,  and  Subandhu,  Dandin, 
Bana,  Divakara,  Ganapati,  and  the  charming  Ratnakara, — what 
are  all  they  to  him  by  whom  the  exalted  Sarasvatl  is  possessed  ’ ? 
Rajasekhara  also  refers  to  Subandhu  in  the  following  stanza 
quoted  by  Aufrecht  [ZDMG.  36.  366)  from  the  Saduktikarna- 
mrta  (cf.  also  Peterson  and  Durgaprasada,  Subhashitavali  of 
Vallabhadeva,  Introd.,  p.  57,  Bombay,  1886 ; Krishnamachariar, 
Introd.,  p.  41) : 

subandhau  bhaktir  noth  ka  iha  raghukare  na  raniate 
dhrtir  daksiputre  harati  haricandro  'pi  hrdayavi 
visuddhdktih  surah  prakrtimadhura  bhdravigiras 

tatha  "py  antarmodam  ham  api  bhavabhutir  vitanute , 


INTRODUCTION 


5 


‘ in  Subandhu  is  our  delight ; who  rejoiceth  not  in  the  author 
of  the  Raghu(vamsci) 1 ? satisfaction  delighteth  in  the  son  of 
Dales!2;  even  Haricandra  joyeth  the  heart;  of  faultless  diction 
is  Sura 3 ; the  words  of  Bharavi  are  delightsome  in  theme  ; 
Bhavabhuti  doth  infuse  an  inward  pleasure.’  Krishnamachariar 
also  cites  an  allusion  to  the  author  of  the  Vasavadatta  in  Abhi- 
navabhattabana’s  Virandrdyanacarita  (/.  c.)  : 

pratikavibhedanabdnah  kavitatarugahanaviharanamayurah 
sahrdayalokasubandhnr  jayati  sribhattabanakavirajah , 

‘ victorious  is  the  noble  Bhattabana,  king  of  poets,  an  arrow  [or, 
“ a Bana  ”]  for  piercing  hostile  poets  ; a peacock  [or,  “ a Mayura  ”] 
for  wandering  through  the  forest  of  the  trees  of  poetry  ; a goodly 
kinsman  [or,  “ a Subandhu  ”]  for  all  connoisseurs.’  An  anony- 
mous citation  in  the  modern  anthology  Subhasitaratnabhandagdra 
(ed.  Parab,  3 ed.,  p.  56,  Bombay,  1891)  runs: 

viaghas  cord  inayuro  muraripur  aparo  bharavih  sdravidyah 
sriharsah  kaliddsah  kavir  atha  bhavabhutyahvayo  bhdjarajah 
sridandl  dindimakhyah  srutimukutagurur  bhallato  bhattabanah 
khyatas  ca  ’ nyc  subandhvadaya  ilia  krtibhir  visvam  ahladayanti, 

‘ Magha,  Cora,  Mayura,  Mura’s  second  foe  (Murari),  Bharavi  in 
climax  learned,  Harsa,  Kalidasa,  and  also  the  poet  named 
Bhavabhuti,  Bhojaraja,  Dandin  (hight  “ the  Drum  Bhallata 
weighty  with  the  diadem  of  fame,  Bhattabana,  and  other  renowned 
ones,  such  as  Subandhu,  here  on  earth  rejoice  the  universe  with 
their  compositions.’ 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth  century,  Ballala,  in  his 
Bhojaprabandha , which  he  set  forth  as  a history  of  Bh5ja,  who 
ruled  at  Dhara  (the  modern  Dhar)  in  the  eleventh  century, 
mentioned  Subandhu,  according  to  some  manuscripts,  as  one 
of  the  thirteen  principal  members  of  the  host  of  five  hundred 
literati  who  graced  the  royal  court  (cf.  Wilson,  Works , 5.  174, 
London,  1865  ; Hall,  Introd.,  p.  7,  note  1) ; but  the  list  varies  so 
extremely  in  the  different  manuscripts  of  the  Bhojaprabandha 

1 Kalidasa.  2 Panini. 

8 See  Aufrecht,  Catalogns  Catalogorum , 1.  660,  Leipzig,  1891. 


6 


vAsavadattA 


that  little  stress  can  be  laid  upon  it,  especially  in  view  of  the 
legendary  character  of  the  work  as  a whole.  Finally,  mention 
should  also  be  made,  for  the  sake  of  completeness,  of  an  apparent 
allusion  to  the  Vasavadatta  in  Dandin’s  D asakumaracarita  (ed. 
Godabole  and  Parab,  p.  no,  lines  11-12,  Bombay,  1898)  : 
amirupabhartrgamimnam  ca  vasavadattadinam  varnanena  gra- 
haya  ’ nusayam , ‘ and  make  her  repent  by  a description  of 
Vasavadatta  and  others  who  gained  suitable  husbands.’  This 
clearly  refers,  however,  to  the  well-known  story  of  Vasavadatta 
and  Udayana  (see  above,  p.  2)  ; and  it  is  equally  impossible 
that  the  vasavadattam  adhikrtya  krto  granthah  mentioned  in 
the  Varttika  (probably  third  century  B.C.)  on  Panini,  4.  3.  87, 
should  be  connected  in  any  way  with  Subandhu’s  romance. 

It  should  also  be  noted  that  Narasimha  Vaidya,  one  of  the 
glossators  of  the  Vasavadatta , says : kavir  ayam  vikramaditya- 
sabhyah.  tasmin  rdjhi  lokantarain prdpte  etan  nibandhavi  krtavdn , 

‘ this  poet  [Subandhu]  was  a retainer  of  Vikramaditya.  When 
this  king  attained  the  other  world,  he  [Subandhu]  composed  this 
work’  (Hall,  Introd.,  p.  6,  note).  Hall’s  manuscript  D,  more- 
over, which  belongs  to  what  I may  tentatively  call  the  ‘ South 
Indian  recension  ’ of  the  Vasavadatta  (see  below,  p.  38),  terms 
Subandhu  ‘ the  son  of  Vararuci’s  sister  ’ ( srlvararucibhagineya ), 
Vararuci  himself  being,  as  is  well  known,  one  of  the  ‘ nine  gems  ’ 
of  Vikramaditya’s  court,  flourishing  at  least  later  than  the  fifth 
century  (Bloch,  Vararuci  und  Hemacandra , p.  13,  Giitersloh, 
1893 ; cf.  Macdonell,  History  of  Sanskrit  Literature , p.  324, 
London.  1900).  Hall  denies  that  Subandhu  was  Vararuci’s 
nephew  (Introd.,  pp.  6-7),  but  it  is  possible  that  the  tradition 
contains  a [larger  element  of  truth  than  is  often  supposed  (cf. 
Wilson,  Works , 5.  177,  London,  1865).  It  is,  at  all  events, 
echoed  by  the  Bhojaprabandha, — whatever  be  the  value  assigned 
to  such  testimony — which  associates  Subandhu  and  Vararuci  in 
the  passage  already  referred  to. 

Inscriptions  of  India  mention  Subandhu  only  once  to  my 
knowledge.  This  single  instance  is  a Canarese  record  of  1168 
A.  D.,  found  at  Balagami  (Rice,  Mysore  Inscriptions , p.  111, 


INTRODUCTION 


7 


Bangalore,  1879),  which  contains  the  words:  ‘ In  sabda  a Panini 
pandita,  in  nlti  Bhusanacarya,  in  natya  and  other  bharata  sastras 
Bharatamuni,  in  kavya  Subandhu,  in  siddhanta  Lakull^vara,  at 
the  feet  of  Siva  a Skanda  adorning  the  world,  thus  is  Varna 
Saktiyati  truly  described.’  The  only  additional  information  thus 
gained  is  that  by  the  twelfth  century  his  fame  had  spread  to 
southern  India. 

Subandhu’s  Allusions  to  Sanskrit  Literature.  If  Subandhu 
is  thus  recognised  but  sparingly  and  indefinitely  in  the  literature 
and  epigraphy  of  his  native  land,  he  is  himself  most  generous  in 
alluding  to  the  productions  of  other  authors.  The  majority  of 
his  references,  however,  cast  little  light  upon  his  date,  for  no  real 
conclusions  can  be  drawn  from  his  mention  of  the  Brhatkatha 
(ed.  Hall,  pp.  no,  147),  the  Kamasutra  (ed.  Hall,  p.  89),  the 
Chandoviciti  section  of  the  Bharatiyandtyasdstra  (ed.  Hall, 
pp.  94,  note,  119,  235),  the  Mahabharata  and  Harivamsa  (ed. 
Hall,  pp.  21,  27,  93,  234,  254;  on  Subandhu’s  indebtedness  to 
the  Mahabharata  see  Cartellieri,  ‘ Das  Mahabharata  bei  Subandhu 
und  Bana,’  in  WZKM.  13.  57-74),  the  Ramayana  (ed.  Hall, 
p.  234),  the  Upanisads  (ed.  Hall,  p.  235),  and  the  Mlmamsa  and 
Nyaya  philosophies  (ed.  Hall,  pp.  93,  235,  297),  any  more  than 
we  can  derive  any  definite  conclusions  from  his  general  and 
hostile  mention  of  the  Buddhists  (ed.  Hall,  pp.  144,  179,  235, 
255,  297  bis)  and  Jains  (ed.  Hall,  pp.  93,  187,  297  ; cf.  on  these 
allusions  to  the  Buddhists  and  the  Jains  Telang,  ‘Subandhu  and 
Kumarila,’  in  JRASBo.  18.  150-159).1 

It  has  been  held,  on  the  basis  of  Sivarama’s  commentary,  that 
the  words  bauddhasahgatim  iva  ’ ' lamkarabhusitdm,  ‘ decked  with 
<adornments>  as  an  assembly  of  Buddhists  is  decked  with  the 
<Alamhara>’  (ed.  Hall,  p.  235),  refer  to  the  Bauddhasahgatyalam- 
kara  of  Dharmaklrti  (cf.,  in  general,  on  Dharmaklrti,  Pathak, 
‘Dharmaklrti  and  Sarhkaracharya,’  in  JRASBo.  18.  88-96,  and 


1 Reference  should  also  be  made,  in  this  connexion,  to  the  allusions  collected  in 
Krishnamachariar’s  Introduction,  received  after  these  lines  were  written,  to  other 
Sanskrit  literature,  especially  the  Mahabharata  and  Ramayana,  as  well  as  to  religion 
and  philosophy  (pp.  22-24,  27-28). 


8 


vAsavadattA 


the  criticism  of  Telang,  ib.  18.  148-150).  Since,  however, 
Dharmaklrti  is  described  by  I-Tsing,  who  travelled  in  India 
in  671-695  a.  D.,  as  among  those  ‘of  late  years  ’ {Record  of  the 
Buddhist  Religion,  tr.  Takakusu,  p.  181,  cf.  p.  lviii,  Oxford,  1896) ; 
and  since  Taranatha  {Geschichte  dcs  Buddhismus  in  Indien , tr. 
Schiefner,  pp.  184-185,  St.  Petersburg,  1869)  makes  him  a con- 
temporary of  the  Tibetan  king,  Srong-btsan-sgam-po,  who  died 
about  650  A.  D.  (Duff,  Chronology  of  India , p.  53,  Westminster, 
1899),  Levi  (‘La  Date  de  Candragomin,’  in  Bulletin  de  I'Ecole 
d' Extreme-Orient,  1903,  p.  18  ; cf.  Kern,  Manual  of  Indian 
Buddhism , p.  130,  note  11,  Strassburg,  1896)  is  doubtless  right 
in  denying  that  Subandhu  makes  any  allusion  to  Dharmaklrti’s 
activity  (for  an  opposing  view  see  Krishnamachariar,  Introd.,  p.  32). 

This  leaves  but  a single  literary  allusion  in  the  Vasavadatta 
which  can  in  any  way  be  construed  as  casting  light  on  the  date 
of  the  romance.  The  reference  in  question  is  nyayasthitim  ivo 
’ ddydtakarasvarupdm , ‘ <revealing  her  beauty>  as  the  permanence 
of  the  Nyaya  system  has  its  <form  from  Uddyotakara>  ’ (ed.  Hall, 
p.  235).  Since  we  know  that  Uddyotakara  wrote  his  Nyaya- 
varttika  to  refute  the  heterodox  (i.e.,  Buddhist)  views  of  Dignaga, 
who  flourished  between  520  and  600  A.  D.  (Kern,  op.  cit.  p.  129  ; 
Muller,  Six  Systems  of  Indian  Philosophy , p.  477,  London,  1899), 
it  is  obvious  that  Uddyotakara,  to  whom  Subandhu  so  unmis- 
takably refers,  can  not  have  lived  before  the  latter  part  of  the 
sixth  century.  It  is,  therefore,  certain  that  the  Vasavadatta  can 
not  be  prior  to  the  late  sixth  century  of  our  era. 

The  Date  of  Subandhu.  There  is  but  one  allusion  in  Subandhu’s 
romance  itself  which  can  be  interpreted  as  referring  to  a historical 
event.  This  is  the  tenth  introductory  stanza : 

sa  rasavatta  vihata  navaka  vilasanti  carati  no  kam  hah  1 

sarasl  'va  kirtiscsam  gatavati  bhuvi  vikramaditye, 

‘<moisture>  is  destroyed,  «cranes  sport  not»,  «<the  heron  fares 
not  forth>»  ; yea,  <eloquence>  is  destroyed,  «new-comers  make 

1 The  theory  of  Mazumdar  {JR AS.  1907,  pp.  406-408),  that  the  kam  kali  of  this 
stanza  involves  an  allnsion  to  a Kanka  dynasty,  mnst  be  regarded  as  not  proven. 


i 


INTRODUCTION 


9 


disports,  «<who  devours  not  whom»>  ? — for  Vikramaditya,  like 
a lake,  hath  passed  away  on  earth.’  This  has  been  taken, 
particularly  by  Hall  (Introd.,  p.  6),  to  imply  that  Subandhu 
‘ lived  long  posterior  to  the  great  Vikramaditya  of  Ujjayinl.’ 
Although  some  deny  that  this  monarch,  about  whom  cluster  so 
many  legends,  ever  existed  (see,  for  example,  Macdonell,  History 
of  Sanskrit  Liter  attire,  pp.  323-324,  London,  1900),  such  a view 
can  scarcely  be  supported,  and  there  is  good  reason  to  believe 
him  to  be  identical  with  Candragupta  II,  who  reigned  from  about 
374  to  413  (Smith,  Early  History  of  India  from  600  B.C.  to  the 
Muhammadan  Conquest , 2 ed.,  pp.  275-283,  Oxford,  1908).  It 
would  be  most  tempting,  so  far  as  the  special  problems  of  the  Vasa- 
vadattd  are  concerned,  could  one  accept  the  view,  argued  with 
great  learning  by  Hoernle  (‘  Some  Problems  of  Ancient  Indian 
History,’  in  JRAS.  1903,  pp.  545-570,  and  ‘The  Identity  of 
Yasodharman  and  Vikramaditya,  and  some  Corollaries,’  ib.  1909, 
pp.  89-144  ; against  this  Fleet,  ‘ Dr.  Hoernle’s  Article  on  Some 
Problems  of  Ancient  Indian  History,’  ib.  1904,  pp.  164-166,  and 
Smith,  ‘ The  Indian  Kings  named  Siladitya,  and  the  Kingdom 
of  Mo-la-p’o,’  in  ZDMG.  58.  787-796),  that  Yasodharman  (on 
whom  see  also  Smith,  op.  cit.  pp.  301-302),  whom  he  identifies 
with  the  great  Vikramaditya,  ‘ founded  his  Malava  empire  about 
533  A.D.,  and  reigned  up  to  about  583  A.D.’  Hoernle  accord- 
ingly dates  Subandhu  in  the  second  half  of  the  sixth  century, 
and  holds  that  the  Vasavadatta  was  written  before  606-612, 
the  latter  year  being  that  of  Harsa’s  coronation.  Attractive  as  is 
this  hypothesis,  I am  compelled  to  admit  that  it  can  scarcely  be 
used  to  determine  the  date  of  Subandhu,  the  whole  evidence  of 
Indian  history  being  against  it. 

The  period  following  the  death  of  Vikramaditya  is  described 
in  the  stanza  quoted  above  as  one  of  degeneration,  and  there  may 
be  a covert  allusion  to  the  same  (or  a similar)  evil  state  of  affairs 
in  the  phrase  navanrpaticittavrttibhir  iva  kulyapamanakarinibhir , 
‘as  the  disposition  of  new  monarchs  causes  dishonour  to  the 
honourable’  (ed.  Hall,  p.  220).  Hoernle,  holding  that  Vikra- 
maditya’s  successor  was  his  son  Siladitya,  who  was  dethroned 


IO 


vAsavadatta 


by  his  enemies  (probably  about  593  A.  D.),  being  ‘ replaced  in 
the  kingdom  of  his  father  ’ (probably  before  604  A.  D.)  only  by 
the  aid  of  the  Hun,  Pravarasena  II  of  Kashmir  ( Rajataranginl  3. 
330),  has  evolved  a most  ingenious  theory  which  I was  long 
inclined  to  adopt.  Siladitya  is,  on  this  hypothesis,  described  as 
not  only  unfortunate,  but  cruel,  as  evidenced  by  his  execution  of 
the  Maukharl  Grahavarman,  king  of  Kanauj,  and  the  brutal 
fettering  and  imprisonment  of  the  dead  monarch’s  young  wife, 
RajyasrI  ( Harsacarita , tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  p.  173,  London, 
1897);  and  as  unpatriotic,  this  being  shown  by  his  acceptance 
of  assistance  from  non-Aryan  Huns.  Despite  his  restoration 
by  Pravarasena,  the  reign  of  Siladitya,  who,  Hoernle  maintains, 
succeeded  his  father,  Vikramaditya,  about  583  A.  D.,  came  to 
a disastrous  end  in  606  (or  605),  when  he  was  utterly  defeated 
by  Rajyavardhana  II,  the  brother  of  the  famous  Harsavardhana 
who  is  the  hero  of  the  Harsacarita.  Harsavardhana  himself 
succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Thanesar  in  606,  when  Rajyavardhana 
was  treacherously  slain  by  the  Gauda  king,  Sasaiika,  and  reigned 
until  648  (on  Harsavardhana,  in  general,  cf.  Ettinghausen,  Harsa 
Vardhaua,  emperenr  et  poite  de  l' hide  septentrionale , Paris, 
1906). 

While  holding  this  theory,  I gave  to  it  the  pleasing  embellish- 
ment of  an  hypothesis,  without  real  basis,  that  the  dynasties  to 
which  Vikramaditya  and  Harsavardhana  belonged  were  rivals, 
and  that  Bana  was  the  faithful  eulogist  of  Harsavardhana  exactly 
as  Subandhu  was  loyal  to  Vikramaditya.  Since,  moreover, 
Bana’s  monarch  had  been  victorious  over  the  degenerate  son  of 
Subandhu’s  royal  patron,  I deemed  that  Bana  had  deliberately 
set  out  to  surpass  Subandhu,  so  that  Harsavardhana’s  court  might 
excel  Vikramaditya’s  in  literature  as  well  as  in  arms.  Thus, 
there  would  have  been  a deeper  motive  for  Bana  to  write  the 
Harsacarita  than  the  mere  incentive  of  literary  emulation  which 
is  generally  ascribed  to  him. 

History  does  not  sustain  this  elaborate  figment,  which  I have 
recorded  mainly  to  keep  others  from  possible  pursuit  of  a false 
clue.  Not  only  was  Vikramaditya  not  identical  with  Yasodharman, 


INTRODUCTION 


1 1 


as  already  noted,  but  Siladitya  was  the  very  reverse  of  a cruel 
monarch  (Smith,  Early  History  of  India  from  600  B.  C.  to  the 
Muhammadan  Conquest , 2 ed.,  p.  306,  Oxford,  1908).  If  one  were 
to  stress  the  theory  of  rivalry  both  in  letters  and  in  war,  one 
might  suppose  that  Subandhu  was  a courtier  either  of  Sasanka 
of  Gauda  or  of  Devagupta  of  Eastern  Malava  (cf.  Ettinghausen,  op. 
cit.  pp.  36-38,  148),  both  of  whom  were  ignoble  in  character.  But 
of  this  there  is  not  the  slightest  evidence  ; and  even  if  the  name 
of  the  father  of  either  of  them  was  Vikramaditya  (a  most  impro- 
bable hypothesis),  that  would  give  little  point  to  Subandhu’s 
stanza,  which  plainly  alludes  to  the  famous  Vikramaditya,  and  is, 
therefore,  only  a conventional  harking  back  to  happy  times  long 
past.  In  determining 'the  date  of  the  Vasavadatta  I am  forced 
to  consider  the  lines  under  discussion  as  utterly  valueless. 

While  the  sole  known  basis  for  assigning  a terminus  a quo  to 
the  composition  of  Subandhu’s  romance  is,  as  we  have  seen,  the 
allusion  to  Uddydtakara,  who  probably  flourished  in  the  latter 
half  of  the  sixth  century,  the  terminus  ad  quern  is  almost  cer- 
tainly the  date  of  Bana’s  Harsacarita.  This  romance,  which  was 
left  unfinished  by  its  author,  ends  abruptly  with  the  rescue  of 
RajyasrI,  the  sister  of  Harsavardhana  and  widow  of  Graha- 
varman  (i.  e.  607,  or  606),  though  Harsa  had  reigned  several 
years  when  Bana  wrote  (. Harsacarita , tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas, 
pp.  75-76,  London,  1897).  The  precise  date  of  composition  of 
Bana’s  second  romance,  the  Kadambari,  is  unknown;  but,  as 
Bana  died  before  completing  it  ( Kadambari , tr.  Ridding,  p.  182, 
London,  1896),  it  must  have  been  written  considerably  after  the 
Harsacarita.  It  may  also  be  regarded  as  certain  that  Subandhu 
lived  later,  probably  by  at  least  a century  (cf.  p.  12),  than  Dandin, 
the  author  of  the  picaresque  Dasakumaracarita  (Weber,  Indische 
Streifen , 1.  311-315,  353,  372,  Berlin,  1868;  Dasakumaracarita , 
tr.  Meyer,  pp.  120-127,  Leipzig,  1902  ; Collins,  The  Geographical 
Data  of  the  Raghuvamsa  and  Dasakumaracarita , p.  46,  Leipzig, 
1907,  places  Dandin’s  literary  activity  before  585  a.  d.). 

The  Place  of  Composition  of  the  Vasavadatta.  The  question 
next  arises  as  to  the  place  of  composition  of  the  Vasavadatta. 


12 


vAsavadattA 


Here  the  answer  must  be  still  more  vague.1  It  is  obviously 
impossible  that  the  romance  was  written  at  the  court  of  Bhdja,  as 
some  manuscripts  of  the  Bhdjaprabandha  would  imply,  for  that 
ruler  did  not  reign  at  Dhara  until  the  eleventh  century  ; nor  does 
there  seem  to  have  been  any  Bhdja  reigning  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  sixth  century  at  whose  court  Subandhu  might  have  been, 
thus  being  confusedly  located  by  Ballala  in  the  train  of  the 
famous  Bhoja  of  Dhara.  One  might,  indeed,  by  reckless  theorising, 
allege  that  Subandhu,  thus  being  placed  at  Dhara  in  Malava, 
had  actually  been  a courtier  either  of  Devagupta  of  Eastern 
Malava  or  of  Slladitya  of  Mo-la-p’o  (Western  Malava) ; but  the 
real  reason  for  this  wild  statement  by  the  author  of  the  Bhdja- 
prabandha (or,  more  probably,  by  one  of  his  interpolators)  was 
obviously  the  identification,  occasionally  made  by  Sanskrit 
authors  (cf.  Weber,  Akademische  Vorlesungen  fiber  indische 
Literaturgeschichte , 2 ed.,pp.  218-219,  Berlin,  1876;  Rajendralala 
Mitra,  ‘ Bhoja  Raja  of  Dhar  and  his  Homonyms,’  in  JASBe. 
32.  93),  of  Bhoja  and  Vikramaditya,  an  equation  too  absurd  to 
require  refutation. 

To  sum  up  the  discussion,  we  can  say  with  reasonable  certainty 
only  that  the  Vasavadatta  was  written  by  Subandhu  at  a place 
unknown,  probably  between  550  and  somewhat  after  606  A.  D., 
the  terminus  a quo  being  the  circumstance  that  Uddyotakara 
cannot  have  flourished  until  at  least  the  middle  of  the  sixth 
century,  and  the  terminus  ad  quern  by  the  date  of  composition 
of  the  Harsacarita , early  in  the  seventh  century.2 


1 Absolutely  no  clue  is  given  by  the  purely  conventional  geography  of  the  romance, 
on  which  see  Weber,  Indische  Streifen,  1.  385,  Berlin,  1868. 

2 Krishnamachariar  devotes  a long  section  of  his  Introduction  (pp.  30-48)  to  a discus- 
sion of  Subandhu’s  date,  which  he  places  after  Bana  and  before  Vamana,  the  author  of 
the  Kdvydlamkdravrtti,  whom  tradition  makes  a minister  of  Jayapida  of  Kashmir 
(7 79— 8 1 3 ; cf.  Duff,  Chronology  of  India , pp.  68,  70-71,  Westminster,  1899).  He 
rightly  argues  that  the  various  references  in  Sanskrit  authors  to  Subandhu  and  Bana 
allow  of  no  conclusion  as  to  the  priority  of  the  Vasavadatta ; but  some  of  his  hypotheses, 
as  that  Subandhu’s  dislike  of  Buddhism  proves  him  to  be  later  than  Bana  (p.  45),  as 
well  as  his  general  implication  that  the  difference  between  the  two  writers  is  due  to 
degeneration  of  style  (cf.  pp.  14-18),  are,  in  my  judgment,  certainly  untenable;  nor 
does  he  touch  with  sufficient  depth  upon  what  evidence  may  be  drawn  from  Indian 
history 


INTRODUCTION 


13 


Data  Concerning  Subandhu’s  Life.  Our  knowledge  of 
Subandhu  is  most  meagre.  In  the  thirteenth  stanza  of  his  intro- 
duction to  the  Vasavadatta  he  terms  himself  sujanaikabandhu , 
which  Hall  (Introd.,  p.  24),  following  the  commentator,  Sivarama, 
renders  ‘ an  intimate  of  none  but  the  virtuous,’  although  the  word 
should  rather  be  translated  ‘Sujana’s  only  brother.’1  The 
tradition  that  Subandhu  was  the  nephew  of  the  Prakrit 
grammarian,  Vararuci,  has  already  been  mentioned  (see  above, 
p.  6),  though  with  disapproval ; and  there  seems  also  to  have 
been  a legend  that  he  was,  by  birth,  a Kashmirian  Brahman 
(Weber,  Indische  Streifen , 1.  371,  Berlin,  1868,  quoting  Cunning- 
ham, in  JASBe.  17.  98~99).2 

Subandhu  is  not  known  to  have  written  anything  besides  the 
Vasavadatta.  Citations  are  made  from  him  in  the  Sarnga- 
dharapaddhati , Sub  hasit avail,  Pady avail,  and  Suktikarnamrta 
(Aufrecht,  Catalogus  Catalogorum,  1.  726,  Leipzig,  1891);  but 
the  quotations  in  the  first  two  anthologies,  which  alone  are  thus 
far  edited  [by  Peterson  (Bombay,  1888)  and  by  Peterson  and 
Durgaprasada  (Bombay,  1886),  respectively],  are  drawn  exclu- 
sively from  the  Vasavadatta.  Hall  (Introd.,  p.  48,  note),  it  is 
true,  found  in  the  still  unedited  Padyavenl  of  Venldatta,  com- 
piled about  the  reign  of  Shah  Jahan  (early  17th  century),  the  fol- 
lowing distich  then  supposed  to  have  been  written  by  Subandhu  : 
aksanialapavrttijna  kusasanaparigraha 
brahml  ”va  daurjanl  samsad  vandanlya  samekhala, 

‘ an  assembly  of  scoundrels,  knowing  <how  to  live  by  disparaging 
speeches),  accepting  «evil  teachings)),  and  «<wicked  to  the  just))), 
should  be  honoured  even  as  an  assembly  of  Brahmans  knowing 

1 Cartellieri,  ‘ Das  Mahabharata  bei  Subandhu  und  Bana,’  in  IVZKM.  13.  72,  trans- 
lates the  stanza  thus : 1 Durch  eine  Gnadengabe,  die  Sarasvati  ihm  verliehen,  hat 
Subandhu  — d.h.  der  edle  Freunde  hat  — dieses  Buch  gemacht;  obzwar  Subandhu  — 
d.h.  der  hundert  Freunde  hat  — hat  er  doch  nur  den  Edlen  zum  einzigeu  Freund; 
eine  wahre  Schatzkammer  ist  er  in  der  Kunst,  Silbe  fur  Silbe  doppelsinnige  Dicht- 
ungen  zu  verfertigen.’  On  Sujana  as  a proper  name  see  Aufrecht,  op.  cit.  3.  149, 
Leipzig,  1903. 

2 It  is  interesting  to  note,  in  this  connexion,  that  Krishnamachariar  holds  that 
Subandhu  was  a Vaisnavite  and  an  adherent  of  the  Mlmamsa  philosophy  (Introd., 
PP-  23.  28). 


14 


vasavadattA 


<the  end  of  their  rosaries>,  accepting  «seats  of  knsa- grass»,  and 
«<girt  with  their  girdles>».’  The  distich  was  not,  however, 
written  by  Subandhu,  but  by  Trivikrama  Bhatta,  the  author  of 
the  Damayantlkatha,  or  N alacampu  (i.  7 ; cf.  Bohtlingk,  Indische 
Spriiche , 2 ed.,  No.  52,  St.  Petersburg,  t 870-1 873),  who  flourished 
about  915  A.D.  (Duff,  Chronology  of  India,  p.  85,  Westminster, 
1899).1 

The  Vasavadatta  a Katha.  The  Vasavadatta  is  expressly 
stated  by  many  manuscripts  (cf.  Hall’s  ed.,  p.  300,  note  7,  and 
Sivarama  ad  loci)  to  be  an  akhyayika,  or  ‘ tale,’  this  being  very 
possibly  influenced  by  the  reference  to  some  work  entitled,  from 
the  name  of  its  heroine,  vasavadattdkhyayikd  in  the  Varttika 
on  Panini  4.  3.  87  (cf.  also  the  Varttika  on  4.  2.  60,  and  see 
Krishnamachariar,  Introd.,  pp.  36-37).  The  akhydyikd,  according 
to  Sanskrit  rhetoricians  (cf.  Regnaud,  Rhetorique  sanskrite,  pp.  76- 
77,  Paris,  1884),  is  a division  of gadya,  or  poetical  prose  ; and  the 
classical  example  is  the  Harsacarita  of  Bana,  who  himself  seems 
to  intimate  that  the  Vasavadatta  likewise  belongs  to  this  cate- 
gory by  using  the  term  dkhydyikdkard , ‘authors  of  dkhydyikasl 
immediately  before  his  allusion  to  Subandhu’s  romance,  in  the 
tenth  stanza  of  his  introduction  to  the  Harsacarita . The  classic 
description  of  the  akhyayika  is  given  in  the  following  passage  of 
the  Sahilyadarpana  (ed.  Roer,  No.  568,  Calcutta,  1851) : 

akhydyikd  kathavat  syat  kavcr  vanisadikirtanam 
asydm  anyakavinam  ca  vrttam  gadyam  kvacit  kvacit 
kathanisdnam  vyavacchcda  asvdsa  iti  badhyate 
aryavaktrapavaktranam  chandasa  ycna  kenacit 
anyapadesena  " svasamukhe  bhavyarthasucanam, 

' the  akhyayika  should  be  as  the  katha.  (There  should  be)  in  it 
an  account  of  the  lineage  of  the  poet  and  of  other  poets  ; poetry 

1 Krishnamachariar  (Introd.,  pp.  39-40)  calls  attention  to  a number  of  passages  in 
the  Nalacampu  (ed.  Bombay,  1885;  new  ed.,  1903)  in  which  he  holds  that  Trivikrama 
Bhatta  imitated  Snbandhu.  He  likewise  notes  parallels  between  the  Vasavadatta  and 
the  Jivandharacampii  of  Haricandra  (p.  52),  who  wrote  after  897  A.D.  (p.  44), 
lisupdlavadha  (p.  53),  Ramayana  (p.  64),  Meghadiita  (p.  54),  Vikramdrvaii  (pp.  62, 
64),  and  Malatlmadhava  (pp.  61-62),  as  well  as  the  Harsacarita  (pp.  53-57),  and 
Kadambari  (pp.  52,  53,  55,  57,  63). 


INTRODUCTION 


*5 


in  some  places  (and)  prose  in  others  (should  be  employed) ; 
divisions,  called  sighs,”  are  used  for  the  divisions  of  the  story  ; 
at  the  beginning  of  the  “ sighs  ” (there  should  be)  an  intimation 
of  the  theme,  under  the  guise  of  something  else,  by  any  metre 
whatsoever  of  the  dr  yd,  vaktra,  or  apavaktra  (classes).’ 

The  katha , or  ‘ story,’  best  represented  by  Bana’s  Kadambari , 
is  described  by  the  Sahityadarpana  (No.  567)  as  follows : 

kathayain  sarasam  vastu  padyair  eva  vinirmitam 
kvacid  atra  bhavcd  arya  kvacid  vaktrapavaktrakc 
adan  padyair  namaskdrah  khalader  vrttakirta?iam, 

‘ in  the  katha  a theme  with  poetic  sentiments  is  represented  even 
with  poetry  ; in  it  there  should  be  the  arya  metre  in  some  places, 
(and)  the  vaktra  and  apavaktra  metres  in  other  places ; at  the 
beginning  (there  should  be)  homage  in  verse  (to  a divinity,  also) 
a description  of  the  character  of  knaves  and  the  like.’  The  older, 
and  in  my  judgment  the  better,  definition  of  this  type  of  Sanskrit 
literature,  however,  is  given  by  Dandin,  the  author  of  the  pica- 
resque Dasakumaracarita , who  says  {Kavyadarsa  1.  23-25,  28) : 

apadah  padasantano  gadyam  dkhyayika  katha 
iti  tasya  prabhcdau  dvau  tayor  dkhyayika  kila 
7iayakenai  ”va  vdcyd  ”nya  nayakene  ’ tarena  vd 
svagunaviskriyd  doso  nd  ’ tra  bhutarthasamsinah 
api  tv  aniyamo  drstas  tatra  'py  anyair  udiranat 
anyo  vaktra  svayam  ve  "ti  kidrg  vd  bhedalaksanam 

tat  kathakhyayike  ”ty  cka  jatih  sahjhadvayahkita 
atrai  ” vd  ’ ntarbhavisyanti  sesas  cd  ” khydnajaiayah , 

‘ prose  is  a series  of  words  without  strophes ; its  two  classes  are 
the  dkhyayika  (and)  the  katha.  Now,  the  dkhyayika  should  be 
spoken  by  the  hero,  the  other  (the  katha)  by  the  hero  or  another. 
A revelation  of  one’s  own  personality,  if  he  narrates  facts,  is  no 
fault  here.  Nevertheless,  the  lack  of  fixed  distinction  is  seen 
from  the  story  being  told  by  others  even  there  (in  the  dkhyayika). 
Whether  another  (is)  the  speaker,  or  one’s  self,  is  a sorry  standard 


1 6 VASAVADATTA 

of  discrimination Therefore  the  katha  (and)  akhyayika  are 


one  category  marked  with  a double  name  ; and  here,  too,  will  be 
comprised  the  other  categories  of  stories.’ 1 

In  support  of  this  statement  of  Dandin,  it  may  be  noted  that 
the  Vasavadatta,  though  termed,  as  we  have  seen,  an  akhyayika 
lacks  the  necessary  divisions  into  ‘ sighs  ’ ; in  its  opening  stanzas 
it  (like  a katlia)  describes  ‘ the  character  of  knaves  and  the  like  ’ 
(introductory  stanzas  6-9) ; and  it  contains  a long  episode  spoken 
by  another  than  the  hero — the  conversation  of  the  maina  with  his 
mate  concerning  the  heroine  of  the  story.  The  manifest  resem- 
blance of  the  Vasavadatta  to  the  Kadambari , which  is  considered 
to  be  a katha,  together  with  its  unlikeness  to  the  Harsacarita , 
whose  technique  it  should  share,  were  it  really  an  akhyayika,  also 
serves  to  confirm  the  views  of  Dandin  rather  than  those  of  the 
Sahityadarpana.  One  need  have  little  hesitation,  therefore,  in 
regarding  the  Vasavadatta  as  technically  a katha.  2 

The  ‘ Style  * and  Rhetorical  Embellishments  of  the  Vasava- 
datta. The  rlti,  or  ‘ style,’  of  the  Vasavadatta  is  the  Gaudi, 
which  the  Sahityadarpana  (No.  627)  defines  as  follows  (cf.,  in 
general,  Regnaud,  Rhetorique  sanskrite , pp.  253-255,  Paris,  1884): 

djahprakasakair  varnair  bandha  adambarah  punah 
samasabahula  gaudi , 

‘ the  Gaudi,  moreover,  is  a resonant  arrangement  (of  words)  with 
sounds  expressing  strength,  (and)  abounds  in  compounds.’  Va- 
mana,  in  his  K avyalamkaravrtti  (1.  2.  12),  describes  this  ‘ style’ 
as  ‘ consisting  of  strength  (ojas)  and  grace  ( kanti )/  while  avoiding 
‘ sweetness  ’ ( madhurya ) and  ‘ softness  ’ ( saukumdrya ).  Accord- 
ing to  the  Kavyadarsa  (1.  44a,  46a,  54a,  92a),  moreover,  the 
Gaudi  especially  affects  alliteration,  etymologising,  and  hyper- 
bole.3 When  it  is  added  that,  as  the  Kavyadarsa  (1.  14-29)  also 

1 It  may  be  mentioned  in  passing  that  Anandavardhana’s  Dhvanyaloka,  3.  8 
(tr.  Jacobi,  in  ZDMG.  56.  789),  states  that  compound  words  are  longer  in  the 
akhyayika  than  in  the  katha. 

2 I am  glad  to  note  that  my  conclusion  in  this  respect  is  confirmed  by  Krishna- 
machariar  (Introd.,  pp.  8-9). 

3 Krishnamachariar  (Introd.,  pp.  28-29)  notes  the  prevalence  in  the  Vasavadatta 


INTRODUCTION 


1 7 


states,  an  ahhydyika,  hatha , or  other  form  of  narrative  should, 
like  poetry  in  general,  include  descriptions  of  battles,  cities, 
oceans,  mountains,  seasons,  sunrise,  moonrise,  and  the  like  (each 
and  all  of  which  may  be  exemplified  from  the  Vasavadatta),  we 
see  at  once  how  closely  Subandhu  was  restricted  in  the  composi- 
tion of  his  romance,  and  how  faithfully  and  minutely  he  discharged 
his  self-imposed  task. 

The  slender  thread  of  narrative  in  the  Vasavadatta  is  em- 
bellished with  many  forms  of  literary  adornment,  which,  indeed, 
constitute  by  far  the  major  portion  of  the  work.  First  and  fore- 
most among  these  embellishments  stands  the  slesa,  or  ‘ parono- 
masia,’ and  with  good  reason  Subandhu  declares  himself  to  be 
‘ a repository  of  cunning  skill  in  arranging  a series  of  parono- 
masias in  every  syllable  ’ ( pratyaksaraslcsamayaprabandhavinya - 
savaidagdhyanidhir , introductory  stanza  13).  The  slesa  is  well 
defined  by  Dandin,  in  his  Kavyadarsa  (2.  363  ; cf.  Regnaud, 
Rhetorique  sanskrite,  pp.  227-229,  Paris,  1884;  Sdhityadarpana, 
No.  705  ; Kavyaprakasa,  tr.  Jha,  pp.  188-197,  217-218,  Benares. 
1898  ; Kuvalayanandakarikd,  1.  62),  as  follows: 

slcsah  sarvasu  pusnati  prayd  vakroktisu  sriyam 

bhinnam  dvidha  svabhavoktir  vakroktis  ce  ’ti  vahmayam 
‘ the  paronomasia  generally  enhances  the  beauty  in  all  equivoca- 
tions ; the  phraseology  (is)  divided  in  two  parts : the  natural 
meaning  and  the  equivocal  meaning.’  Examples  of  the  slesa, 
usually  intimated  in  the  Vasavadatta  by  iva , 1 as  ’ (and  indicated 
in  this  translation  by  < > or,  when  double  and  triple,  by  « »,  <«  »>), 
abound  in  Subandhu’s  romance.  As  a single  specimen  may  be 
cited  vanarasenam  iva  sugrlvahgaddpasdbhitam,  ‘ adorned  with  a 

of  utkalikdpraya,  or  style  of  long  compounds  and  words  containing  alliteration 
(Regnaud,  Rhetorique  sanskrite,  p.  75,  Paris,  1884),  and  of  the  vrtti  arabhatl,  or 
‘violent  manner’  of  scenes  of  awe  and  conflict  (Ldvi,  Theatre  indien,  1.  92-93,  Paris, 
1890).  The  ‘ manner’  is  also  sometimes  madhyamakai'sikl  (according  to  Vidyanatha, 
the  author  of  the  Prataparudrayasobhusana  [cf.  Regnaud,  op.  cit.,  pp.  377-378], 
quoted  by  Krishnamachariar,  mrdvarthe  ’py  anatipraudhabandha  madhyamakaiHkt, 
‘ not  conjoined  with  excessive  dignity  in  a gentle  theme  ’),  and  the  style  is  mostly 
narikelapdka  (according  to  Vidyanatha,  sa  narikerapdkah  sydd  antargudharasddayak , 
‘ the  rising  of  hidden  flavour  ’) , although  sometimes  amrapdka  (for  which  no  definition 
is  given). 

C 


x 8 


VASAVADATTA 


<beautiful  throat  ( sugviva ) and  with  armlets  (aitgada)>  as  the 
army  of  monkeys  was  adorned  by  <SugrIva  and  AngadaV  (ed. 
Hall,  pp.  63-64).1 

The  figure  next  in  frequence  to  the  slesa  in  the  Vasavadatta  is 
the  virddha , or  ‘ antithesis,’  where  the  superficial  meaning  is  self- 
contradictory, while  the  paronomasiac  reading  renders  the  phrase 
consistent,  and  even  intensifies  it.  This  rhetorical  embellishment 
is  defined  as  follows  in  the  Kavyadarsa  (2.  333  ; cf.  Sahityadar- 
pana , No.  718;  Kavyaprakdsa , tr.  Jha,  pp.  233-235,  Benares, 
1898  ; K iivalayanandakdrikd,  1.  74) : 

viruddhanam  paddrthdnam  yatra  samsargadarsanavi 
viscsadarsanaydi  ”va  sa  virodhah  smrto  yatha, 

‘ when  there  is  an  apparent  union  of  antithetical  objects  simply 
to  show  the  distinction  (between  them),  it  is  called  virddha  .’  The 
conventional  sign  of  the  virddha  in  the  Vasavadatta  is  api , as  iva 
is  indicative  of  the  slesa.  As  an  example  of  the  countless  in- 
stances of  the  virddha  in  Subandhu’s  romance,  mention  may  be 
made  of  agrahena  'pi  kavyajivajhcna,  ‘ which  <has  no  planets 
( a-grahap  yet  knows  «Venus  (£«!/?/«=  Sukra  = the  planet  Venus) 
and  Jupiter  = Brhaspati==the  planet  Jupiter)»,  for  it  is  <free 
from  theft  ( a-graha)>  and  knows  «the  essence  ( jiva ) of  poetry 
(hdzya)^>’  (ed.  Hall,  pp.  1 13-114). 

Besides  these  two  rhetorical  devices,  Sivarama,  in  his  com- 
mentary on  the  Vasavadatta , enumerates  a long  series  of  alam- 
karas,  or  ‘ adornments,’  which  will  now  briefly  be  considered. 

The  parisahkhya,  or  1 special  mention,’  usually  combined  with 
the  slesa  in  the  Vasavadatta,  is  an  affirmative  statement  with  the 
implied  negation  of  the  paronomasiac  meaning  of  the  phrase,  and 
is  thus  defined  by  the  Sahityadarpana  (No.  735 ; cf.  Kavyapra- 
Jcasa,  tr.  Jha,  pp.  245-246,  Benares,  1898  ; Kuvalayanandakarika, 
1.  112)  : 

1 On  Subandhu’s  fondness  for  paronomasia  see,  further,  Krishnamachariar,  Introd., 
pp.  18-20,  who  also  calls  attention  to  repetitions  of  paronomasia  on  the  same  word 
(p.  27)  as  well  as  to  the  frequent  repetition  of  the  same  phrase  in  the  romance 
Cpp.  25-26). 


INTRODUCTION 


*9 


prasnad  aprasnato  va  "pi  kathitad  vastund  bhavet 
tadrganyavyapdhas  cec  chabda  artlio  ’ thavd  tada 
■parisankhya, 

‘ if  there  is  either  an  expressed  or  implied  exclusion,  whether  with 
or  without  an  interrogation,  of  a thing  similar  to  (but)  other  than 
the  object  mentioned,  then  it  is  a parisankhya'.  An  example 
from  the  Vasavadatta  is  netrotpatanam  munlndm , ‘ <roots  (netra)> 
were  plucked  out  only  in  the  case  of  «wormwood-trees {pnuninatnp> 
(for  «ascetics  (: muninam )»  did  not  pluck  out  their  <eyes  ( netra)> ) ’ 
(ed.  Hall,  p.  19). 

The  maladipaka , or  ‘ garland  elucidator  ’ (‘  verkettete  Klimax,’ 
according  to  Bohtlingk,  Satiskrit-  Worterbuch  in  kiirzerer  Fas- 
sung,  s.  v.,  St.  Petersburg,  1879-1889),  is  a rhetorical  repetition 
of  words  in  a sequence  so  as  to  heighten  the  effect,  and  is  thus 
defined  by  the  Kavyadarsa  (2.  108  ; cf.  Kavyaprakasa,  tr.  Jha, 
p.  22 6,  Benares,  1898  ; Kuvalayanandakarika,  1.  105) : 

purvapurvavyapeksini 
vakyamala  prayukte  ” ti  tan  malddlpakam  matam , 

‘ a conjoined  series  of  words,  each  of  which  refers  to  the  one  pre- 
ceding, is  considered  a maladipaka'.  As  an  example  may  be 
cited  bhujadandena  kodandam  kodandma  sarah  sarair  arisiras,  ‘ by 
his  staff-like  arm  the  bow,  by  the  bow  the  arrows,  by  the  arrows 
his  foeman’s  head  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  41 ). 

The  titprcksa,  or  ‘ poetic  fancy,’  usually  indicated,  like  the  slesa, 
by  iva,  ‘ as,’  in  the  Vasavadatta,  and  one  of  Subandhu’s  favourite 
rhetorical  devices,  is  thus  concisely  defined  by  the  Sahityadar- 
pana  (No.  686;  cf.  Kavyadarsa,  2.  221  ; Kavyaprakasa,  tr.  Jha, 
p.  211,  Benares,  1898  ; Kuvalayanandakarika,  1.  30)  : 

bhavet  sambhavano  "tpreksa  prakrtasya  paratmana , 

‘ poetic  fancy  would  be  the  imagining  of  an  object  under  the 
character  of  something  else.’  Examples  of  this  figure  abound  in 
the  Vasavadatta , as  in  the  following  description  of  the  moon : 
dadhidhavale  kalaksapanakagrasapinda  iva  nisayamunaphcna- 
puhja  iva  menakanakhamarjanasilasakala  iva,  ‘ while  he  was 
white,  as  it  were,  with  the  curds  which  constitute  a morsel  of  food 


20 


VASAVADATTA 


for  (Buddhist)  ascetics  at  their  mealtime,  and  was  like  a mass  of 
Yamuna’s  foam  by  night,  and  resembled  a fragment  of  stone  for 
the  polishing  of  Menaka’s  nails  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  44).1 

The  yamaka , ‘ repetition  ’ or  ‘ chiming,’  is  the  repeating  of 
words  or  parts  of  words  of  similar  sound  but  divergent  meaning, 
which  the  Kavyadarsa  (1.  61  ; cf.  3.  1-37;  Sahityadarpana , 
No.  640;  Kavyaprakasa,  tr.  Jha,  pp.  185-188,  Benares,  1898; 
Kuvalaydnandakarika , 4.  6)  describes  as 

avrttim  varnasahghdtagdcaram  yamakam  viduh , 

‘ a repetition  consisting  of  a combination  of  sounds  they  know  as 
yamaka .’  This  is  illustrated  by  the  following  passage  from  the 
Vasavadatta  : dnddlitakusumakesare  kesarenumusi  ranitamadhu- 
ramaninam  ramanindm  vikacakumudakarc  mudakarc , ‘ (when 
there  blew  a wind  that)  rocked  the  filaments  of  the  flowers  and 
removed  their  pollen  from  the  hair  of  damsels  wearing  delight- 
somely  tinkling  jewels,  whilst  it  had  an  abundance  of  expanded 
white  lotuses,  and  caused  pleasure  ’ (ed.  Hall,  pp.  52-53). 

The  praudhokti , or  ‘ pomposity,’  is  thus  defined  by  the  Kuva- 
laydnandakarika  ( 1 . 1 24) : 

praudhoktir  ukta  'rthahetds  taddhctu tvaprakalpan a m , 

‘ in  the  absence  of  a cause  for  a thing,  the  invention  of  a cause 
for  it  is  called  praudhokti .’  It  is  exemplified  in  the  Vasavadatta 
by  the  passage  describing  the  heroine’s  lip  as  mukhacandra- 
safinihitasandhyaragena  dantamaniraksdsinduramudranukdrina, 
1 which  had  the  glow  of  eventide  in  close  proximity  to  her  moon- 
like face  ; which  had  what  seemed  to  be  a minium  seal  as  a guard 
for  the  jewels  of  her  teeth’  (ed.  Hall,  p.  58). 

The  rupakatisaydkti , or  ‘ hyperbolical  metaphor,’  is  merely  an 
exaggerated  form  of  the  preceding  alamkara.  It  is  thus  defined 
in  the  Kuvalaydnandakarika  (1.  34) : 

rupakatisaydktih  syan  nigiryadhyavasanatah , 

‘ identification  so  that  (the  object  identified)  should  be  swallowed 

1 On  the  similes  in  the  Vasavadatta  see  also  the  examples  collected  by  Krishna- 
machariar,  Introd.,  pp.  20-22. 


INTRODUCTION 


21 


up  (and  thus  completely  disappear)  would  be  rupahatisayokti  ’ ; 
and  as  an  example  may  be  cited,  from  the  description  of  Vasa- 
vadatta just  quoted,  the  passage  vildcanendivarabhramarapank- 
tibhyam  mukhamadanamandiratoranabhyam  ragasagaravelabh- 
yam  yauvananartakalasikabhyam  bhrulatabhydm  viraiamanam, 
1 adorned  with  delicate  brows  which  were  clusters  of  bees  about 
her  blue-lotus  eyes  ; portals  of  her  face  that  formed  the  abode  of 
Love  ; the  shores  of  Passion’s  sea  ; wantoning  in  youthful  dancing’ 
(ed.  Hall,  p.  61). 

The  akramatisayokti,  or  ‘fused  hyperbole,’  is  closely  akin  to 
the  preceding  rhetorical  figure,  of  which  it  is  merely  an  intensi- 
fication. It  receives  the  following  definition  in  the  Kuvalaya- 
na.7idakdrikd  (i.  39) : 

akramatisaydktih  syat  sahatve  hetakaryayoh, 

‘ akramatisaydkti  would  be  in  the  unity  of  cause  and  effect.’ 
Sivarama  cites  but  one  instance  of  the  figure  in  the  Vasavadatta, 
this  being  samam  dvisam  dhanusam  ca  jlvakrstiin  yodhas  ccikruk , 
‘ the  warriors  drew  at  once  the  <lives  ( jlva)>  of  their  foes  and  the 
<strings  (ymz)>  of  their  bows’  (ed.  Hall,  p.  295). 

Two  other  forms  of  hyperbole  are  mentioned  by  Sivarama  as 
occurring  in  Subandhu’s  romance.  The  first  of  these  is  bhedaka- 
tisayokti,  or  ‘ hyperbole  of  differentiation.’  It  is  defined  as  follows 
in  the  Kuvalayanandakdrikd  (1.  36)  : 

bhedakatisayoktis  tu  tasyai  ”vd  ' nyatvavarnanam, 

1 bhedakdtisaydkti  is  the  description  of  that  (which  is  the  subject 
under  discussion)  by  means  of  differentiation,’  and  it  is  exemplified 
in  the  Vasavadatta  by  prthur  api  gotrasamutsai'anavistari- 
tabhumandalah , ‘ Prthu  develled  the  earth  by  banishing  the 
mountains)  (but  Cintamani  (covered  the  earth  by  sending  forth 
his  offspring))  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  22). 

The  remaining  form  of  hyperbole  in  the  Vasavadatta  is  sam- 
bandhatisayokti , or  ‘ hyperbole  of  connexion,’  which  is  thus 
defined  in  the  Kuvalaydnandakdrika  (1.  37) : 

sambandhatisayoktih  syad  aydge  ydgakalpanam , 

‘ sambandhatisayokti  would  be  the  invention  of  connexion  when 


22 


vAsavadattA 


connexion  is  absent,’  as  when  Subandhu  describes  trees  as  being 
anurukarakasabhighataparavasaravirathaturagagrasavisamitapa- 
llavais,  ‘ with  shoots  made  uneven  by  the  feeding  of  the  horses 
of  the  chariot  of  the  sun  which  are  obedient  when  lashed  by  the 
whip  in  the  hands  of  Anuru  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  120). 

The  ratnavali,  or  ‘ jewel  necklace,’  is  defined  as  follows  in  the 
Kuvalayanandakdrikd  (1.  139) : 

kramikdprakrtdrtkdnam  nydsarn  ratnavalim  viduh , 

‘ an  arrangement  of  objects  serially  irrelevant  they  know  as  ratna- 
vali,’  and  is  exemplified  in  the  Vasavadattd  where  the  heroine  is 
described  as  vikacena  netrakamalena  sanaiscarcna  padcna  tamasa 
kesapasena  grahamayim  iva,  ‘ she  seemed  to  be  made  of  planets : 
of  <Venus>,  for  she  had  <wide-open>  lotus  eyes ; of  <Saturn>,  for 
she  had  <slow- moving)  steps  ; of  <Rahu>,  for  she  had  <dark>  heavy 
hair  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  64). 

The  kavyalinga,  or  * poetic  reason,’  is  thus  defined  by  the 
Sahityadarpana  (No.  710;  cf.  Kavyaprakasa,  tr.  Jha,  pp.  238- 
239,  Benares,  1898  ; Kuvalayanandakdrikd , 1.  120)  : 

hctor  vakyapadarthatve  kaiyalihgam  nigadyate, 

‘ kavyalinga  is  applied  to  the  implication  of  a cause  in  a sentence  or 
word,’  and  finds  exemplification  in  the  V dsavadatta  in  the  passage 
khalah  punas  tad  anistam  anucitawi  eva  ’ vadliarayanty  anistod- 
bhavanarasottaram  hi  khalahrdayani , ‘ the  wicked,  on  the  other 
hand,  make  it  (thy  conduct)  out  to  be  undesirable  and  indecorous  ; 
for  the  heart  of  the  wicked  man  finds  its  highest  delight  centred 
in  bringing  to  light  what  is  undesirable  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  70). 

The  milita , or  ‘ vanished,’  denotes  a complete  loss  of  distinction 
between  two  objects  because  of  their  superficial  resemblance,  as 
is  expressed  by  the  definition  of  the  Kuvalayanandakdrikd  (t.  145  ; 
cf.  Kavyaprakasa , tr.  Jha,  pp.  253-254,  Benares,  1898  ; Ruyyaka’s 
Alamkarasarvasva,  ed.  Durgaprasada  and  Parab,  p.  167,  Bombay, 
1893): 

militant  yadi  sadrsyad  bheda  eva  na  laksyate , 

‘ if,  because  of  similarity,  a distinction  is  not  observed,  it  is 
milita As  an  example  from  Subandhu  I may  cite  mddhurya- 


INTRODUCTION 


23 


saityasucitvasantapasantibhih  payah  paya  ive  ' ti , ‘ fancying  that 
“ water  is  as  milk  because  of  its  sweetness,  coolness,  purity,  and 
healing  of  distress”  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  80). 

The  anuprasa , or  ‘ alliteration,’  a rhetorical  figure  found  with 
considerable  frequency  in  Subandhu’s  romance,  is  thus  defined 
by  the  Sahityadarpana  (No.  633  ; cf.  Kavyadarsa,  1.  55  ; Kavya- 
prakdsa,  tr.  Jha,  pp.  182-184,  Benares,  1898  ; Kuvalayanandaka- 
rika,  4.  2-5)  : 

anuprasah  sabdasamyam  vaiscimye  'pi  svarasya  yat, 

1 anuprasa  (is)  a similarity  of  sound,  despite  a dissimilarity  of  the 
vowel.’  As  an  example  from  the  Vasavadatta  may  be  cited  these 
two  adjectives  descriptive  of  the  River  Reva : madakalakalaham- 
sasdrasarasitddbhrdntabhdhkutavikatapucchacchatdvyadhiitavikaca- 
kamalakhandavigalitamakarandabindusanddhasurdb'hitasalilayd.. 

. . . upakfdasahjdtanalanikuhjapuhjitakiddyakiikkutaghatdghutka- 
rabhairavatiraya , ‘ whose  waters  were  perfumed  by  the  abundance 
of  the  drops  of  liquid  which  had  fallen  from  the  fragments  of  full- 
blown lotuses  shaken  by  many  monstrous  tails  of  bhahkuta- fish 
that  had  been  terrified  by  the  notes,  indistinct  for  passion,  of  geese 

and  herons  ; whose  banks  were  strident  with  the  screams 

of  multitudes  of  wild  cocks  whose  nests  thronged  the  bowers  of 
reeds  that  had  sprung  up  near  its  shores  ’ (ed.  Hall,  pp.  95,  98). 

The  sama,  or  ‘ equal,’  is  thus  defined  in  the  Kavyadarsa  ( 1 . 47  ; 
cf.  Sahityadarpana , No.  618  ; Kazyaprakdsa , tr.  Jha,  pp.  175- 
17 6,  Benares,  1898): 

samam  bandhesv  avisamam  tc  mrduspJuitamadhyamah 

bandha  inrdusphntdrnnisravarnavinydsaydnayaJy 

1 sama  is  not  uneven  in  collocations  (of  words) ; these  collocations, 
smooth,  rough,  (and)  middling,  depend  on  the  arrangement  of 
smooth,  rough,  and  mixed  (sounds).’  It  is  illustrated  by  the 
passage  kamadaruna  madbrunauctrdsmaramayain  ramayantam 
tvam  adayam  madayanti  param  akam  itaram param  akamitdravi 
vahchati , ‘what  gentle-eyed  woman  who  fervently  delighteth 
thee,  that  art  not  inflamed  with  passion,  (but  art)  the  essence  of 
love,  delightsome,  (and)  a most  excellent  lover,  desireth  another 


24 


VASAVADATTA 


that  is  no  lover  [cruel  with  passion  ! red-eyed  with  lust ! alas,  an 
unlovely  dame  desireth  thee,  the  essence  of  lovelessness,  hot, 
pitiless,  absolutely  no  lover,  (and)  bound  for  utmost  woe !]  ’ (ed. 
Hall,  pp.  213-214). 

The  vidhi,  or  ‘ rule,’  is  defined  as  follows  by  the  Kuvalayanan- 
dakdrika  (1.  167): 

siddhasyai  ”va  vidhanam  yat  tad  aliur  vidhyalamkrtim , 

‘ what  (is)  a precept  of  a thing  well  established,  that  they  call  the 
vidhi  adornment,’  and  is  exemplified  by  kurahgike  kalpaya 
kurahgasavakcbhyah  saspahkurain  kisorike  karaya  kisorakebhyah 
pratyaveksavi , ‘ Kurahgika,  prepare  a blade  of  young  grass  for 
the  antelope  fauns  ! Kisorika,  have  the  young  colts  looked  after  ’ ! 
(ed.  Hall,  pp.  230-231). 

The  sambhdvana , or  * supposition,’  is  thus  defined  by  the 
Kuvalayanandakarika  (1.  125): 

sambhdvanani  yadl  ’ttham  syad  ity  uhb  ’nyasya  siddhaye , 

‘ sambhdvana  is  a conjecture  for  the  attainment  of  something 
else  with  the  thought,  “ if  it  were  so.”  ’ It  is  illustrated  in  the 
Vasavadatta  by  the  passage  tvatkrte  yd"naya  vedana  ” nubhuta 
sa  yadi  nabhah  patrayatc  sagaro  meldnandayate  brahmayate 
lipikard  bliujagarajayate  kathakas  tada  kirn  api  katham  apy 
anekair  yngasahasrair  abhilikhyate  kathyatc  va,  1 the  pain  that 
hath  been  felt  by  this  maiden  for  thy  sake  might  be  written  or 
told  in  some  wise  or  in  some  way  in  many  thousands  of  ages 
if  the  sky  became  paper,  the  sea  an  ink-well,  the  scribe  Brahma, 
(and)  the  narrator  the  Lord  of  Serpents  ’ (ed.  Hall,  pp.  238-239). 

The  karanamdld , or  ‘ chain  of  causes,’  is  given  the  following 
definition  in  the  Kuvalaydnandakdrika  (1. 103  ; cf.  Kavyaprakasa, 
tr.  Jha,  p.  246,  Benares,  1898) : 

gumphah  karanamdld  syad  yathaprakrantakdranaih, 

‘a  series  (made)  by  causes  proceeding  one  after  the  other  is 
a karanamdld',  and  an  example  is  seen  by  Sivarama  in  the 
description  of  Vasavadatta’s  palace  as  ajhatatatasphatikapat- 
tasnkhanisannanidrayamdnaprdsddapdravatdbhih,  ‘ with  palace 


INTRODUCTION 


25 


doves  sleeping  comfortably  (because)  perched  on  slabs  of  crystal 
from  shores  unknown’  (ed.  Hall,  pp.  217-218). 

The  udatta,  or  ‘ exalted,’  is  thus  defined  in  the  Sahityadarpana 
(No.  75^;  cf.  Kavyaprakasa,  tr.  Jha,  p.  240,  Benares,  1898; 
Knvalayanandakdrika , 1.  162-163) : 

lokatisayasampattivarnano  ” dattam  ucyate 

yad  va  ’ 'pi  pi'astutasyd  ’ rigam  mahatam  caritani  bhavet , 

‘ the  portrayal  of  extraordinary  prosperity  is  called  udatta,  or 
it  would  even  be  the  deeds  of  the  great,  (if  they  form)  part  of 
the  subject  in  hand.’  An  illustration  of  this  figure  is  found  in 
another  portion  of  the  description  just  quoted  : karpurapura - 
viracitapulinatatanivistaninadanumiyamanarajahamslbhir , ‘ with 
flamingoes  whose  noise  would  imply  that  they  had  settled  near 
the  sand  bank  formed  by  the  stream  of  camphor  ’ (ed.  Hall, 
p.  218),  only  one  of  extreme  wealth  being  able  to  possess  such 
a river.1 

The  kaitavdpahnuti , or  ‘ false  concealment,’  is  defined  by  the 
Kuvalayanandakarika  (1.  28)  as  follows  : 

kaitavapahnutir  vyaktdu  vyajadyair  nihnuteh  padaih , 

‘ kaitavdpahnuti  (consists)  in  the  manifestation  of  concealment  by 
words  of  pretext  and  the  like,’  and  finds  exemplification  in  the 
Vasavadatta  in  the  passage  ativeganipitajaladhijalasahkhamaldm 
iva  balakacchalad  udvamann  adrsyata  jaladah , ‘ the  cloud  seemed 
to  vomit  forth,  like  a crane,  what  appeared  to  be  a series  of 
ocean  shells  that  had  been  drunk  down  too  hastily  ’ (ed.  Hall, 
pp.  283-284). 

The  lokokti , ‘ popular  expression,’  is  thus  defined  by  the 
Kuvalayanandakarikd  (1.  156) : 

lokapravadanukrtir  lokoktir  Hi  kathyate , 

‘ the  imitation  of  a popular  colloquialism  is  called  lokokti'  and 
finds  an  illustration  in  Subandhu’s  romance  in  the  exhortation 
tad  adhuna  yadi  tvam  sahapdmsukridanasamaduhkhasukho  ’si 

1 Sivarama  rightly  notes  that  this  passage  also  contains  the  rhetorical  figure  anumana, 
or  ‘inference’  (cf.  Kdvyafi rakaia , tr.  Jha,  pp.  243-244,  Benares,  1898;  Kuvalayanan- 
dakarika,  2.  10). 


26 


vasavadattA 


tada  mam  anugaccha,  ‘ now,  therefore,  if  thou  didst  share  the 
sorrows  and  joys  of  our  playing  together  in  the  dust,  then  follow 
me  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  82). 

The  svabhavokti , or  ‘ natural  description,’  receives  the  following 
definition  in  the  Kuvalayanandakarika  (1.  160 ; cf.  Kdvyapra- 
kasa,  tr.  Jha,  p.  235,  Benares,  1898) : 

svabhavoktih  svabhavasya  jatyadisthasya  varnanam , 

‘ svabhavokti  is  the  description  of  inherent  nature  consisting  of 
characteristics  and  the  like.’  As  an  example  from  the  Vasava- 
dattd  may  be  cited  : 

pasyo  ’ ' dahcadavahcadahcitavapuh  pascarddhapurvarddhabhak 
stabdhdttdnitaprsthanisthitamandgbhugnagralahgulabhrt 
davistrbkotivisahkatdsyakuharah  kurvan  satam  utkatam 
utkarnah  kumtc  kr amain  karipatdu  krurakrtih  kesarl , 

‘ lo,  with  his  bending  body  bending  up  and  bending  down,  now 
with  his  hind  quarters  and  now  with  his  fore  quarters,  with  the 
tip  of  his  tail  slightly  bent  along  his  hard,  arched  back,  with  his 
cavernous  mouth  monstrous  with  the  tips  of  his  fangs,  making 
his  mane  huge,  (and)  with  his  ears  erect,  the  horrible  lion  doth 
make  attack  upon  the  lord  of  elephants  ’ (ed.  Hall,  p.  103). 

The  kavyarthapatti,  or  ‘ poetic  inference,’  is  defined  as  follows 
in  the  Kuvalayanandakdrika  (1.  119): 

kaimutycna  Wthasamsiddliih  kavyarthapattir  isyate, 

1 an  a fortiori  attainment  of  a matter  is  regarded  as  kavyartha- 
patti.'  It  is  exemplified  by  Subandhu  in  his  heroine’s  letter  to 
Kandarpaketu : 

pratyaksadrstabhava  ”py  asthirahrdaya  hi  kamini  bhavati 
svapnanubhutabhavd  dradhayati  na  pratyayam  yuvatih , 

‘ a loving  maid  is  of  unsteady  heart  even  when  she  hath  seen  the 
feelings  (of  her  lover)  with  her  eyes ; a girl  who  hath  learned  his 
feelings  only  from  a dream  hath  no  assurance’  (ed.  Hall,  p.  164). 

Literary  and  Ethical  Merit  of  the  Vasavadatta.  The  Vasa- 
vadatta  apparently  being  written  to  display  its  author’s  skill  in 
rhetoric,  rather  than  his  inventive  powers  in  fiction,  we  are 


INTRODUCTION 


27 


naturally  led  to  consider  what  literary  value  we  may  assign  to  it. 
Here  the  ‘ personal  equation  ’ must  inevitably  play  a part,  and 
here  the  fundamental  difference  between  Oriental  and  Occidental 
concepts  must  be  duly  recognised.  In  the  West  the  subject- 
matter  comes  first  in  nearly  every  form  of  literary  composition  ; 
and  the  more  tense  and  nervous  the  people,  the  more  simple  and 
direct  is  the  style.  In  the  East,  on  the  contrary,  the  form  is 
often  more  important  than  the  matter,  especially  in  periods  of 
hyper-civilisation,  such  as  was  that  during  which  Subandhu 
wrote.  We  must,  therefore,  consider  the  Vasavadatta  from  the 
luxuriant  atmosphere  of  the  land  of  its  author,  not  from  the 
‘practical’  point  of  view  of  the  West.  To  me,  at  least,  there  is 
true  melody  in  the  long,  rolling  compounds,  a sesquipedalian 
majesty  which  can  never  be  equalled  save  in  Sanskrit  ; and  the 
alliterations  have  a lulling  music  all  their  own  to  ears  weary  of 
the  blatant  discords  of  vaunted  modern  ‘ progress.’  There  is,  on 
the  other  hand,  a compact  brevity  in  the  paronomasias,  which 
are,  in  most  cases,  veritable  gems  of  terseness  and  twofold 
appropriateness,  even  though  some  are  manifestly  forced  and  are 
actually  detrimental  to  the  sense  of  the  passages  in  which  they 
occur.  Yet  in  judging  Subandhu  for  his  faults,  it  must  be  re- 
membered that  he  created,  at  least  so  far  as  we  now  know,  a new 
literary  genre  in  India ; and  if  this  fact  be  borne  in  mind,  his 
blemishes  appear  to  be  marvellously  few.  In  estimating  his 
literary  merits  special  stress  should  be  laid  on  his  descriptions. 
These  are,  it  must  be  confessed,  cloying  from  their  abundance. 
They  form  the  preponderating  part  of  the  entire  romance,  and 
the  slender  framework  of  the  story  is  wellnigh  lost  beneath 
them.  Yet  despite  this  tropical  luxuriance,  the  descriptions  are 
not  without  beauty  and  appropriateness,  whether  they  set  forth 
the  charms  of  mountain,  forest,  and  stream,  or  portray  the 
raja’s  valour  and  the  loveliness  of  the  heroine  herself.  The 
entire  romance  may,  in  a sense,  be  likened  to  India’s  own 
architecture,  where  the  whole  structure  is  so  overlaid  with  minute 
detail  that  the  eye  forgets  the  outlines  of  the  building  in  amaze- 
ment at  the  delicate  traceries  which  cover  it. 


i8 


vAsavadatta 


Nor  does  it  seem  to  me  that  the  ethical  standard  of  the 
Vasavadatta  can  be  objectionable  to  one  of  healthy  mind. 
True,  the  East  is  not  as  the  West ; and  there  are  personal 
descriptions  more  detailed  than  would  be  desirable  in  Occidental 
literature,  together  with  evident  approval  of  relations  and  ideals 
which  the  less  sensual  Western  mind  rightly  condemns.  There 
are  passages,  too,  which  I would  gladly  have  omitted,  had  I felt 
that  a faithful  translator  could  do  so.  And  yet,  despite  all  this, 

I find  in  the  romance  no  evidence  of  delight  in  uncleanness,  such 
as  nauseates,  for  example,  in  Petronius  or  in  Martial.  It  is  not 
pornographic  ; it  is,  at  worst,  unmoral,  though  its  rigid  adherence 
to  all  conventions,  both  in  letter  and,  I think,  in  spirit,  renders 
even  unmorality  almost  too  harsh  an  accusation.  From  an 
Indian  point  of  view,  unlightened  by  the  radiance  of  Christianity 
and  the  morality  which  it  inculcates,  I should  not  hesitate  to 
term  the  Vasavadatta  a moral  work,  especially  in  view  of  the 
conditions  of  life  in  mediaeval  India.  Its  atmosphere,  luxuriant 
though  it  be,  has  never  seemed  to  me  to  be  debasing. 

It  is  by  no  means  impossible  that  some  will  dissent  from  the 
views  here  expressed  regarding  the  literary  and  moral  quality  of 
Subandhu’s  romance.  If  so,  they  may  turn  from  the  first 
Western  translator  of  the  Vasavadatta  to  the  first  Western 
editor  of  the  romance,  Fitzedward  Hall,  who,  in  his  Introduction, 
has  unsparingly  condemned  the  entire  production  both  in  its 
literary  and  in  its  ethical  aspects — a precedent  followed  by 
Krishnamachariar  in  his  sarcastic  critique  of  the  whole  plot  of 
Subandhu’s  work  (Introd.,  pp.  50-66). 

Outline  of  the  Plot  of  the  Romance.  The  outline  of  the  story 
of  the  Vasavadatta  is  as  follows  : A king  named  Cintamani  had 
a son  Kandarpaketu,  who  was,  like  his  father,  the  embodiment 
of  all  virtues.  Once  upon  a time  toward  dawn,  when  true 
dreams  come,  the  young  prince  saw  in  his  sleep  a vision  of 
a maiden  of  some  eighteen  years,  whose  loveliness  could  not  be 
surpassed.  Jealous  sleep  forsook  Kandarpaketu,  who,  with  his 
friend  Makaranda,  left  the  city  in  his  love-longing  for  the 
unknown  princess.  In  their  wanderings  the  pair  came  to  the 


INTRODUCTION 


29 


Vindhya  mountains,  and  there,  in  the  watches  of  the  night, 
the  sleepless  prince  overheard  the  conversation  of  two  birds 
perched  on  a branch  of  the  tree  beneath  which  he  lay.  To  the 
story  of  the  husband-bird,  trying  to  explain  his  late  hours  to  his 
suspicious  wife,  Kandarpaketu  listened,  and  was  richly  rewarded 
by  what  he  heard.  In  the  city  of  Pataliputra  on  the  Ganges,  so 
the  maina  recounted,  reigned  the  mighty  monarch  Srngarase- 
khara,  who  had  an  only  daughter  named  Vasavadatta.  In  the 
spring  she,  too,  had  met  her  fate  in  a dream — a youth  of 
matchless  beauty,  whose  name  was  Kandarpaketu.  The  con- 
fidante of  the  princess  at  this  juncture  was  her  maid,  Tamalika, 
who  had  volunteered  to  seek  Kandarpaketu  and  bear  to  him 
a missive  from  the  princess  telling  of  her  love.  The  lovers  were 
now  soon  united  at  Pataliputra,  where  Kandarpaketu  was  informed 
that  Srngarasekhara,  dismayed  at  his  daughter’s  unwedded  state, 
had  determined  to  marry  her  the  very  next  day  to  the  Vidyadhara 
prince  Puspaketu.  Kandarpaketu  and  Vasavadatta  accordingly 
returned  almost  immediately,  by  means  of  a magic  steed,  to  the 
Vindhyas ; but  when  the  prince  awoke  in  the  morning,  his 
beloved  was  no  longer  in  the  bower.  Mad  with  sorrow,  he  was 
restrained  from  suicide  only  by  a voice  from  heaven  which 
promised  him  reunion  with  the  princess.  After  many  months  of 
weary  searching  and  waiting,  he  found  Vasavadatta  turned  to 
stone.  His  touch  gave  the  statue  life  again,  and  she  told  him 
how,  while  two  armies  destroyed  each  other  to  gain  her  for  their 
leaders,  she  had  unwittingly  intruded  in  the  garden  of  a hermit, 
who  laid  upon  her  the  curse  of  petrification  until  her  lover  should 
come.  Thus,  at  last,  the  woes  of  the  lovers  were  over,  and 
returning  to  Kandarpaketu’s  capital,  delight  was  theirs  ever 
afterward  (for  other  summaries  see  Hall,  Introd.,  pp.  29-43  ; 
Strehly,  Revue  politique  et  littcraire , 44.  305-308  ; Krishnama- 
chariar,  Introd.,  pp.  9-14  ; and  the  references  given  in  the 
bibliography,  below,  pp.  197-199). 

From  this  brief  outline  of  the  plot  of  the  Vasavadatta  it  will 
be  seen  that  Subandhu  alludes  to  several  incidents  widely  found 
in  literature  and  folk-tales,  such  as  talking  birds,  magic  steeds, 


3° 


VASAVADATTA 


and  transformation.  To  all  these  I have  sought  to  give  parallels, 
especially  from  modern  Indian  folk-tales,  in  footnotes  to  the 
passages  in  which  they  occur.  There  seems  to  be  no  parallel, 
however,  to  the  story  of  the  Vasavadatta  as  a whole,  and,  as 
already  stated  (p.  2),  Subandhu  evidently  invented  the  slender 
plot  of  his  own  romance  (cf.  also  Hall,  Introd.,  pp.  1-6). 

Sanskrit  ‘ Estilo  Culto  ’ Previous  to  Subandhu,  and  in  Later 
Epigraphy.  This  allusion  to  comparative  literature  brings  us  to 
possible  quasi-parallels  to  the  style  of  the  Vasavadatta.  The 
commingling  of  prose  and  verse  which  is  characteristic  of  the 
akhydyika,  hatha,  and  other  forms  of  gadya,  or  poetical  prose  (cf. 
Regnaud,  Rhetorique  sanskrite , pp.  74-77,  Paris,  1884),  was  by 
no  means  an  innovation  of  Subandhu.  It  is  found,  for  instance, 
in  the  Pahcatantra  and  the  Jdtakas,  as  well  as  in  the  gathas  of 
the  Brahmanas  and  the  Northern  Buddhists,  even  though  these 
latter  be  more  archaic  than  the  prose  in  which  they  are  set. 

Obscure  as  is  the  date  of  the  beginning  of  the  kavya  style  in 
India,  a flood  of  light  has  been  cast  on  its  early  history  by 
Buhler  in  his  ‘ Die  indischen  Inschriften  und  das  Alter  der 
indischen  Kunstpoesie,’  in  S WA  W.  122,  Abhandlung  11.  There 
he  has  shown  that  the  eulogy  of  Vatsabhatti,  preserved  in  an 
inscription  in  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  at  Mandasor,  and  dated 
473-474  A.D.,  contains  descriptions  of  cities,  natural  phenomena, 
and  the  like,  together  with  compound  words  of  inordinate  length, 
and  the  rhetorical  devices  of  anuprdsa , upama,  utpreksa,  r up  aka, 
and  (possibly)  virodha , all  of  which  even  fulfil  the  requirements 
laid  down,  for  instance,  by  Dandin  in  his  Kavyadarsa.  The  term 
kavya  itself  occurs  at  least  as  early  as  375-390  A.  D.  in  Harisena’s 
panegyric  on  Samudragupta,  inscribed  on  a pillar  at  Allahabad, 
which  also  contains  long  compounds  and  the  rhetorical  figures 
of  varnanuprasa,  rupaka,  upama,  and  slesa.  The  kavya  style 
is  carried  back  to  the  early  second  half  of  the  second  century  A.D. 
by  the  Gimar  inscription  of  Rudradaman,  which  has  long  com- 
pounds and  numerous  anuprasas , together  with  two  upamas  and 
one  utpreksa.  It  is  thus  clear  that  a fairly  developed  kavya  was 
known  in  India  as  early  as  the  second  century  of  our  era,  not 


INTRODUCTION 


31 

forgetting  that  the  epic  of  the  Ramayana  contains  many  approxi- 
mations to  the  kavya  style  (Jacobi,  Das  Ramayana , pp.  119-126, 
Bonn,  1893). 

In  the  course  of  time  kavya  inscriptions  became  more  elaborate, 
particularly  in  their  use  of  the  slesa.  Mention  can  here  be  made 
only  of  the  slesas  and  virodhas  in  the  Valabhl  grant  of  Dhruva- 
sena  III,  dated  in  653-654  A.D.  (Hultzsch,  EI.  1.  85-92)  ; the 
Baldda  plates  of  Tlvaradeva,  of  the  middle  of  the  eighth  century 
(Hultzsch,  ib.  7.  102-107);  a grant  of  Indraraja  III,  dated  in 
915  A.D.  (Bhandarkar,  ib.  9.  24-41);  the  Cambay  plates  of 
Govinda  IV,  dated  in  929-930  A.D.  (Bhandarkar,  ib.  7.  26-47)  ; 
and  the  Devulapalli  plates  of  Immadi  Nrsimha,  dated  in  1504 
(Ramayya,  ib.  7.  74-85) ; though  allusion  should  also  be  made 
to  the  general  style  of  such  an  inscription  as  the  Kadaba  plates 
of  Govinda  III,  dated  in  812-8x3  A.D.  (Liiders,  EI.  4.  332-349). 
In  the  inscriptions  of  the  Vaillabhattasvamin  temple  at  Gwaliar, 
dated  in  874-875  A.D.  (Hultzsch,  EI.  1.  154-162),  which  abound 
in  virodhas , Kielhorn  ( apud  Hultzsch,  EI.  1.  157,  note  23)  has 
already  called  attention  to  a possible  reminiscence  of  the  dhana- 
dena  'pi  pracetasa , ‘ which  is  <Kubera>,  yet  «Varuna»,  for  it  is 
<generous>  and  «Avise»,’  of  the  Vasavadatta  (ed.  Hall,  p.  111)  in 
the  dhanadd  'pi  na  pramattd , ‘ he  was  <Kubera>,  but  not  «Varuna», 
for  he  was  <generous>  and  not  «inattentive»  ’ (line  6).  Kielhorn, 
moreover,  in  his  edition  and  translation  of  the  Radhanpur  plates 
of  Govinda  III,  dated  in  807-808  A.D.  {EI.  6.  239-251),  expressly 
declares  (p.  240)  that  ‘ an  examination  of  the  language  and 
general  style  of  most  of  these  verses  can  leave  no  doubt  that 
their  author  or  authors  are  greatly  indebted  for  their  expressions 
and  poetical  devices  to  such  works  as  Subandhu’s  Vasavadatta 
and  Bana’s  Kadambari  and  Harsacarita.'  There  is  no  need  here 
to  repeat  the  parallels  which  Kielhorn  has  drawn  between  the 
inscription  in  question  and  the  romances  of  Subandhu  and  Bana 
{EI.  6.  247-250),  nor  is  it  necessary  to  make  more  than  a passing 
allusion  to  the  fact  that  a close  examination  of  Indian  epigraphy 
would  probably  reveal  many  more  parallels  to  the  Vasavadatta 
and  other  productions  of  the  same  genre.  It  would  by  no  means 


3 2 


vAsavadattA 


follow,  however,  that  such  resemblances  necessarily  imply 
borrowing  from  the  romances  of  Subandhu  and  Bana,  for  the 
same  research  would,  in  all  probability,  show  an  equal,  or  even 
greater,  affinity  with  kavya  literature  in  general.  The  kavya  of 
the  inscriptions  must,  therefore,  be  regarded  as  an  integral  part 
of  the  vast  mass  of  artificial  Sanskrit  literature,  its  development 
being  attained  by  a process  of  natural  growth. 

The  Commingling  of  Prose  and  Verse  and  Paronomasia  Out- 
side the  Vasavadatta.  Outside  of  India  the  commingling  of 
prose  and  poetry  in  the  same  composition  is  found  in  the  Chinese 
romance  P'ing  Shan  Long  Yen  (tr.  Julien,  P'ing- Chan-Ling-  Yen, 
Les  Deux  James  Filles  lettrees,  2 vols.,  Paris,  i860) ; in  Sa'di’s 
Gulistan ; in  The  Thousand  Nights  and  One  Night ; in  the  Old 
Picard  A uc  as  sin  et  Nicole  tte  ; in  Norse  Sagas  and  in  Middle  Irish 
tales  and  histories  (cf.  Windisch,  Irische  Texte , 3. 447-449,  Leipzig, 
1891-1897);  and  in  Boccaccio’s  L ’A nieto;  as  well  as  in  the  Saturce 
Menippece  of  Varro ; Petronius ; the  author  of  the  Historia 
Apollonii  regis  Tyri ; and  among  Basutos  and  Eskimos  (cf. 
MacCulloch,  Childhood  of  Fiction,  London,  1905,  pp.  480-481  ; 
Teuffel-Schwabe,  Geschichte  der  romischen  Liter  atur,  5 ed., 
pp.  43-44,  Leipzig,  1890).  In  like  manner,  the  elaborate  parono- 
masias which  are  so  essentially  a part  of  the  style  of  the  Vasava- 
datta, and  which  later  led  to  such  productions  as  Kaviraja’s  Ragha - 
vapandavlya,  which  in  identical  words  celebrates  the  deeds  of  the 
Raghu  princes  by  one  reading  and  those  of  the  Pandava  heroes 
by  the  other  reading,  or  Ramacandra’s  Rasikarahjana  (ed.  and 
tr.  Schmidt,  Stuttgart,  1896),  which  may  be  read  as  a laudation 
either  of  asceticism  or  of  eroticism,  were  in  vogue,  as  we  have 
seen,  long  before  the  time  of  Subandhu.1  They  also  occur  in  the 
Chinese  romance  Ch'in  P'ing  Mei  (cf.  Giles,  History  of  Chinese 
Literature , p.  309,  London,  1901)  and  in  the  writings  of  Lyly. 

1 To  this  list  Krishnamachariar  (In trod.,  p.  18)  adds  Dhanamjaya’s  Dvisandhana- 
kavya  (ed.  Bombay,  1895  = Kdvyamala,  No.  49)  and  the  Raghavayadavapandaviya, 
or  Kathatrayivyakhydna,  of  Cidambara  and  his  son  Anantanarayana,  which  gives  the 
substance  of  the  Rdinaya>ia , Mahdbkaraia,  and  Bhagavatapnrdna.  Another  literary 
curiosity  of  this  general  type  is  the  elegy  of  Leon  of  Modena  on  his  teacher,  Moses 
Bassola,  which  may  be  read  either  in  Hebrew  or  in  Italian  (cf.  Jewish  Encyclopedia, 
2.  576,  New  York,  1902). 


INTRODUCTION 


33 


Subandhu  and  Lyly.  It  is  Lyly,  indeed,  with  whom  Subandhu 
may  perhaps  best  be  compared  for  a general  parallel  with  the 
style  and  spirit  of  the  Vasavadatta.  Neither  the  Euphues  nor 
Subandhu’s  romance  is  concerned  so  much  with  the  matter  as 
with  the  form,  although  the  English  author  manifests  a didactic 
purpose  which  finds  no  counterpart  in  the  Sanskrit  writer.  Like 
the  Vasavadatta , the  Euphues  and  its  continuation  contain  epi- 
sodes, or  stories  within  stories,  as  the  tale  of  Callimachus  (Lyly, 
ed.  Arbor,  pp.  227-245,  Birmingham,  1868),  which  itself  contains 
the  story  of  Cassander  the  hermit  (pp.  235-239),  thus  parallelling 
the  arrangement  not  only  of  the  Vasavadatta  and  the  Kadambari, 
but  also  of  the  Pahcatantra , Sukasaptati,  Vetalapahcavimsati , 
The  Thousand  Nights  and  One  Night,  Decameron,  and  other  similar 
works.1  Lyly’s  romance  is  curiously  like  Subandhu’s  in  yet  other 
respects.  Here  I may  note  particularly  from  his  Euphues  the  use 
of  paronomasia,  alliteration,  antithesis  (corresponding  respectively 
to  Subandhu’s  employment  of  slesa,  anuprdsa,  and  virodha ),  and 
learned  allusions.  From  the  mass  of  possible  citations  under 
each  category  I quote  but  two  of  each.  (1)  Paronomasia:  ‘and 
though  they  be  commonly  in  a great  cholar  that  receiue  the  mate, 
yet  would  I willingly  take  euery  minute  tenne  mates  to  enioy  Liuia 
for  my  louing  mate  ’ (Lyly,  ed.  Arbor,  p.  66,  Birmingham,  1868) ; 
‘ did  not  Iupiters  egge  bring  forth  as  well  Helen  a light  huswife 
in  earth,  as  Castor  a light  Starre  in  heauen?’  (p.  208).2  (2)  Alli- 
teration : ‘ these  subtill  shiftes,  these  painted  practises  (if  I wer  to 
be  wonne)  would  soone  weane  me  from  the  teate  of  Vesta  to  the 
toyes  of  Venus  ’ (p.  76) ; I am  Philautus  no  Italian  lady,  who 
commonly  are  woed  with  leasings,  and  won  with  lust,  entangled 
with  deceipt,  and  enioyed  with  delight,  caught  with  sinne,  and 
cast  off  with  shame  ’ (p.  360).  (3)  Antithesis  : * how  curious  were 

we  to  please  our  Lady,  how  carelesse  to  displease  our  Lorde  ? 
Howe  devout  in  seruing  our  Goddesse,  how  desperate  in  forget- 

1 For  a charming  modem  imitation  see  Bain,  Digit  of  the  Moon  (London,  1899). 

3 It  is  well  known  that  paronomasia  occurs  not  infrequently  in  Shakespeare  (e.  g. 
Julius  Caesar,  1.  2.  155  ; Merchant  of  Venice,  4.  1.  123  ; Taming  of  the  Shrew,  2.  1. 
190  ; Richard  II,  2.  i.  74)  ; and  it  seems  to  have  been  a favourite  device  of  Ben  Jonson 
(e.g.  Mermaid  ed.,  x.  15-16,  20,  68,  106,  344  ; 2.  91  ; 3.  178,  402,  London,  n.  d.). 

D 


34 


vAsavadattA 


ting  our  God’?  (p.  106);  ‘thou  weepest  for  the  death  of  thy 
daughter,  and  I laugh  at  the  folly  of  the  father,  for  greater  vanitie 
is  there  in  the  minde  of  the  mourner,  then  bitternesse  in  the  death 
of  the  deceased.  But  shee  was  amiable,  but  yet  sinful,  but  she 
was  young  and  might  haue  liued,  but  she  was  mortall  and  must 
haue  dyed.  I but  hir  youth  made  thee  often  merry,  I but  thine 
age  shold  once  make  thee  wise.  I but  hir  greene  yeares  wer  unfit 
for  death,  I but  thy  hoary  haires  should  dispyse  life’  (pp.  182- 
183).  (4)  Learned  allusions:  ‘the  filthy  Sow  when  she  is  sicke, 

eateth  the  Sea-Crab,  and  is  immediatly  recured : the  Torteyse 
hauing  tasted  the  Viper,  sucketh  Origanum  and  is  quickly  reuiued: 
the  Beare  ready  to  pine  licketh  vp  the  Ants,  and  is  recouered : 
the  Dog  hauing  surfetted  to  procure  his  vomitte,  eateth  grasse 
and  findeth  remedy : the  Hart  beeing  perced  with  the  dart,  run- 
neth out  of  hand  to  the  hearb  Dictanum,  and  is  healed Ah 

well  I perceiue  that  Loue  is  not  unlyke  the  Figge  tree,  whose 
fruite  is  sweete,  whose  roote  is  more  bitter  then  the  clawe  of 
a Bitter : or  lyke  the  Apple  in  Persia,  whose  blossome  sauoreth 
lyke  Honny,  whose  budde  is  more  sower  then  Gall’  (p.  61); 

‘ Loue  knoweth  no  laws  : Did  not  Iupiter  transforme  himselfe 
into  the  shape  of  Amphitrio  to  embrace  Alcmaena  ? Into  the 
forme  of  a Swan  to  enioy  L$da  : Into  a Bull  to  beguile  16  : Into 
a showre  of  golde  to  winne  Danae : Did  not  Neptune  chaunge 
himselfe  into  a Heyfer,  a Ramme,  a Floud,  a Dolphin,  onely  for 
the  loue  of  those  he  lusted  after  ? Did  not  Apollo  conuert  him- 
selfe into  a Shephearde,  into  a Birde,  into  a Lyon  : for  the  desire 
he  had  to  heale  his  disease  ’ ? (p.  93). 

Parallels  such  as  these  might  be  multiplied  indefinitely,  not 
only  between  the  Vasavadatta  and  the  Euphues , but  between 
Subandhu’s  romance  and  many  other  productions  both  of  the 
East  and  of  the  West.1  Here,  however,  it  must  suffice  to  note 
that  Dunlop,  in  his  History  of  Prose  Fiction  (ed.  Wilson,  London, 
1896),  records  the  following  incidents  and  motifs  which  may  now 

1 For  parallels  in  the  Vasavadatta  ?nd  Bana’s  romances  with  The  Thousand  Nights 
and  One  Night  see  Gray,  ‘ Literary  Studies  on  the  Sanskrit  Novel,’  in  WZKM. 
18.  39-48. 


INTRODUCTION 


35 


be  compared  with  those  in  the  Vasavadatta  : story  within  story 
(i.  30,  37  ; 2.  389,  405,  409,  416,  436,  438)  ; love  from  a dream 
(1.  253,  258-259,  380) ; magic  steeds  (1.  339,  342,  375) ; love 
letters  (2.  382-383  ; cf.  Schlegel,  ‘ Feuilles  d’arbre  comme  lettres 
d’amour,’  in  Melanges  Charles  de  Harlez , pp.  271-274,  Leiden, 
1896) ; and  birds  playing  a part  in  affaires  de  coeur  (2.  482).  It 
should  also  be  observed  that  Dunlop  repeatedly  alludes  to  Indian 
parallels  with  Occidental  literature  (1.  12, 64-65,  74,  76,  109-110, 
210,  306,  318,  413,  459-461 ; 2.  8,  30,  49,  53-54,  81,  87-88,  90, 
118-120,  127-128,  272,  509,  558-559),  although  the  most  of  these 
refer  to  the  novel,  or  ‘short  story,’  and  not  to  the  romance. 

The  Sanskrit  Romance  Compared  with  the  Greek.  The  sole 
national  romance  literature  of  the  West  which  has  been  regarded 
as  connected  with  that  of  India  is  the  Greek.  The  view  has  been 
advanced  by  Peterson  (. Kadamhari , 2 ed.,  Introd.,  pp.  101-104, 
Bombay,  1889,  where  several  parallels  are  adduced  between  the 
Kadambari  and  Achilles  Tatios),  Weber  ( Sitzungsberickte  der 
Berliner  Akademie,  phil.-hist.  Klasse,  37.  917),  and  Goblet 
d’Alviella  (Ce  que  I'lnde  doit  a la  Grice , p.  136,  Paris,  1897)  that 
the  Indian  romance  was  a direct  importation  from  Greece.  This 
hypothesis,  however,  is  rejected  by  Levi  ( Quid  de  Graecis  veterum 
Indorum  monumenta  tradiderint,  p.  60,  Paris,  1890)  with  what 
seems  to  me  to  be  perfect  justice.  It  is,  of  course,  true  that  many 
parallels  of  incident  and  even  of  literary  device  exist  between  the 
Sanskrit  and  the  Greek  romance.  Among  parallels  of  incident 
I may  note  the  following,  restricting  the  list  to  similarities  be- 
tween the  Greek  romances  and  the  Vasavadatta : falling  in  love 
from  a dream  (story  of  Zariadres  and  Odatis  as  recorded  by 
Athenaios,  Deipnosopkistai,  13.  35  ; this  story  is  clearly  of  Eastern 
origin  ; cf.  Rohde,  Griechischer  Roman , 2 ed.,  pp.  47-54,  Leipzig, 
1900,  where  the  parallel  with  the  Vasavadatta  is  expressly  noted  ; 
for  dreams  in  general  in  the  Greek  romances  see  Rohde,  op.  cit. 
PP-  5o8>  524,  53I_533>  547,  56L  566)’>  svayamvara , or  ‘self- 
choice ’ of  a husband  (also  in  the  story  of  Zariadres  and  Odatis ; 
cf.  Rohde,  op.  cit.  p.  52) ; letters  between  lovers  (Achilles  Tatios, 
Ta  Kara  Aevnirn-qv  Kal  KA.eiro^wi'ra,  5. 18,  20  ; Niketas  Eugenianos, 

D 2 


36 


vAsavadattA 


Ta  Kara  ApoaiWav  Kal  XapuAea,  2.  169—179,  202-223>  24°— ^77> 
284-3x4;  5.  199-247;  Eustathios,  To  Ka0’  'T<rp.Lvi)v  Kal  'Tcrpaviav 
bpafxa,  9.  8;  10.  2;  cf.  Rohde,  op.  cit.  pp.  513,  566);  fainting 
(Chariton,  Ta  Ticpl  Xaipiav  kclI  KaWipporiv,  1.  4 ; 2-7  5 3.  6 ; 4.  5 ! 
8.  1 ; cf.  Rohde,  op.  cit.  p.  172,  where  the  parallel  with  the  Vasa- 
vadatta  is  noted) ; long-winded  lamentations  (Niketas  Eugenianos, 
1.  226-257,  289-352;  2.  8-23;  4.  1 10-150;  5.  131-168,  183- 
19 3 5 6.34-94,  204-234,  306-327  ; 8.  84-130,  196-238;  9.37- 
107  ; cf.  Rohde,  op.  cit.  p.  566)  ; and  threatened  suicide  (Chari- 
ton, 1.  5 ; 5.  10  ; 6.  2 ; 7.1;  8.  8 ; cf.  Rohde,  op.  cit.  p.  527).  The 
following  parallels  of  literary  device,  similarly  restricted,  may  also 
be  noted  : stories  within  stories  and  episodes  (the  adventures  of 
Derkullis  and  the  sub-episode  of  Astraios  in  the  lost  Ta  vircp 
GvKr/v  amora ; the  story  of  Aigialeus  in  Xenophon  Ephesaios,  Ta 
Kara  " Avdeiav  Kal  , A^poKop.riv  ’Et/jeataKa,  5*  I ; and  the  stories  of 
Knemon  in  Heliodoros’s  AWiotukcl,  i.  9-14  ; 2.  8-10  ; and  of  Kala- 
siris,  ib.  2.  24-5.  1 ; 5.  17-33  5 with  the  sub-episode  of  Charikles, 
ib.  2.  29-33);  descriptions  of  nature  (Niketas  Eugenianos,  1.  7 7- 
115  ; Achilles  Tatios,  1.  15;  Longos,  Ylocp-evcKa  r a Kara  Aatyviv 
Kal  XAo'tji>,  4.  2-3) ; detailed  personal  descriptions  (Achilles  Tatios, 
1.  1 ; Niketas  Eugenianos,  1. 120-158  ; cf.  Rohde,  op.  cit.  pp.  160- 
166)  ; learned  allusions  and  citations  of  precedents  (Longos,  1. 
16 ; 4.  17  ; Achilles  Tatios,  1.  8 ; 2.  36-37) ; and  alliteration, 
parisoi,  homoioteletita,  and  similar  figures  of  rhetoric  which  cor- 
respond in  a sense  to  the  Sanskrit  anuprasci  (Achilles  Tatios,  1. 

1- 2  ; 2.  7 ; 3.  2,  7 ; 4.  4 ; 5.  1,  21  ; Longos,  preface  ; 1.  18,  30  ; 

2-  35  J 3*  3>  24,  33.  34 ; 4-  18  ; Eustathios,  1.4;  2. 13  ; 4-  L 3.  12, 
21  ; 5.  11 ; 7-  13  ; cf-  Rohde,  op.  cit.  pp.  552-553.  561),  although 
they  often  form  rhymes  (Achilles  Tatios,  1.  1,  11 ; Longos,  pre- 
face; 2.  26;  3.  13,  23;  4.  17,  28;  Eustathios,  1.  9)  and  strained 
compounds  (Niketas  Eugenianos,  1. 133  ; 2. 143  ; 3. 121 ; 5.  341  ; 
7.  48 ; cf.  Rohde,  op.  cit.  p.  56 7). 

Yet  all  these  parallels,  and  many  more  which  might  be  cited, 
seem  to  me  to  prove  nothing.  In  the  first  place,  a large  number 
of  them  can  be  considered  parallels  only  by  straining  the  sense 
of  the  term  ; and  in  the  second  place,  they  are  obviously  the  out- 


INTRODUCTION 


37 


working  of  independent,  though  partially  similar,  processes  in  the 
development  of  Greek  and  Sanskrit  literature  respectively,  and 
should  be  interpreted  accordingly.  But  even  were  an  essential 
resemblance  granted,  it  would  still  be  difficult,  I think,  to  prove 
the  dependence  of  the  Sanskrit  romance  on  the  Greek,  the  latter 
being,  of  course,  the  earlier.  The  romances  of  the  two  peoples 
are  totally  different  both  in  plan  and  in  spirit,  as  even  a cursory 
reading  will  show.  The  least  part  of  the  Sanskrit  romance  is  the 
thread  of  the  story  or  the  adventures  of  its  characters  ; all  the 
stress  is  laid  on  rhetorical  embellishment,  minute  description  of 
nature,  detailed  characterisation  of  exploits  and  of  mental,  moral, 
and  physical  qualities.  In  the  Greek  romance,  on  the  other 
hand,  as  in  Latin  (if  we  may  judge  from  the  Satirse  of  Petronius), 
the  story  is  everything.  The  reader  is  hurried  from  adventure 
to  adventure,  the  wilder  and  more  improbable  the  better ; fine 
writing  is  practically  disregarded  ; description  and  appreciation 
of  nature  are,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  non-existent.  The  only 
Greek  romance,  it  seems  to  me,  that  can,  by  the  utmost  stretch 
of  imagination,  be  compared  even  superficially  with  the  works  of 
Subandhu  and  Bana  is  the  UoLfj.evi.Ka  of  Longos ; but  even  there 
the  sole  real  similarity  is  a longing  for  nature  rather  than  for 
feverish  adventure,  a longing  which  may  be  traced  back  to 
Theokritos,  Bion,  and  Moschos  on  the  one  hand,  and  to 
Bhartrhari  and  his  congeners  on  the  other.  Even  the  Dasakuma- 
racarita , which,  as  a picaresque  romance,  one  might  be  tempted 
to  compare  with  the  works  of  Achilles  Tatios,  Heliodoros,  and 
Chariton,  has  a totally  different  plan  from  any  Greek  romance, 
tracing  its  ‘ box  arrangement  ’ of  stories  to  the  peculiarly  Indian 
scheme  which  may  be  seen,  for  instance,  in  the  Pahcatantra,  the 
K athasaritsagara , or  the  Jatakas,  and  which  was  later  carried  to 
Persia,  where  it  was  incorporated  in  The  Thousand  Nights  and 
One  Night , ultimately  appearing  in  the  Occident  in  the  Decameron 
of  Boccaccio.1  The  adventures  narrated  in  Dandin’s  romance  of 

1 For  the  ‘box  arrangement’  in  Egyptian  see  King  Khufui  and  the  Magicians 
(about  2000  b.c.  ; tr.Maspero,  Contes  populaires  de  1' figypte  ancienne , 3 ed.,  pp.  23-42, 
Paris,  1906);  and  in  Japanese  cf.  Bakin’s  Shichiya  no  Kura  (1810  A.D. ; Aston, 
History  of  Japanese  Literature , pp.  359-360,  London,  1901). 


3» 


vAsavadattA 


roguery,  moreover,  bear  no  resemblance,  either  in  plot  or  in 
episode,  to  the  amorphisms  of  Eustathios  and  his  fellows.  To 
sum  up,  the  spirit  of  the  Sanskrit  and  of  the  Greek  romancers  is 
as  divergent  as  the  audiences  of  scholars  on  the  one  hand,  and  of 
weaklings  on  the  other,  for  whom  they  wrote  ; nor  can  any  real 
affinity,  much  less  any  direct  connexion,  be  traced  between  the 
romances  of  India  and  of  Greece. 

The  Double  Recension  of  the  Vasavadatta.  Like  the 
Mahabharata  and  the  Ramayana , the  Vasavadatta  appears  to  be 
preserved  in  two  distinct  recensions,  which  I would  tentatively 
call  ‘ northern  ’ and  ‘ southern.’  The  first  of  these  is  represented 
by  the  text  of  Hall  (Calcutta,  1859)  and  the  second  by  the 
Madras  edition  of  1862,  reprinted  as  an  appendix  to  the  present 
volume,  as  well  as  by  Krishnamachariar’s  text  (Srirangam,  1906- 
1908).  The  ‘ southern  ’ text,  to  which  Hall’s  manuscript  D seems 
also  to  belong,  differs  from  the  ‘ northern  ’ chiefly  in  showing  a 
large  number  of  interpolations,  particularly  slesas , virddhas,  and 
other  forms  of  similes  appended  to  the  series  given  by  the 
‘ northern  ’ text.  The  spirit,  however,  of  the  ‘ southern ' recension 
is  identical  with  that  of  the  ‘ northern.’  There  is,  indeed,  one 
omission  of  a complimentary  allusion  to  the  Buddhists  (ed.  Hall, 
p.  235)  and  of  one  derogatory  reference  to  the  Jains  (ed.  Hall, 
p.  297  ; cf.  above,  p.  7),  but  the  retention  of  all  other  deprecia- 
tory mentions  of  both  sects  shows  that  the  ‘southern’  redactor 
was  not  led  to  modify  his  text  by  any  circumstances  surrounding 
him  ; nor  is  there  any  added  allusion  in  the  ‘ southern  ’ text  which 
seems  to  be  specifically  South  Indian.  It  may  be  regarded  as 
practically  certain  that  the  ‘ northern  ’ text  represents  Subandhu’s 
original  composition  more  closely  than  does  the  ‘ southern  ’ 
recension,  not  only  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  author  of  the 
romance  was,  in  all  probability,  a native  of  northern  India,  where 
he  almost  indubitably  wrote  (cf.  above,  pp.  12-13),  but  also  in 
consideration  of  the  familiar  principles  of  textual  criticism  that 
the  shorter  text  is,  other  things  being  equal,  to  be  preferred  to 
the  longer,  and  that  the  more  difficult  reading  is  to  be  preferred 
to  the  easier,  since  the  ‘ southern  ’ recension  evidently  seeks,  by 


INTRODUCTION 


39 

substitution  or  omission,  to  avoid  many  difficulties  of  word, 
phrase,  or  allusion  which  the  ‘ northern  ’ text  boldly  retains. 

Manuscripts  and  Editions  of  the  Romance.  For  the  manu- 
scripts of  the  Vasavadattd  and  its  commentators  reference  may 
be  made  to  the  catalogues  of  Sanskrit  manuscripts  enumerated 
by  Aufrecht  ( Catalogus  Catalogorum,  i.  566,  726;  2.  133-134, 
224  ; 3.  120,  Leipzig,  1891-1903).  The  principal  commentators 
on  the  Vasavadattd  have  been  discussed  by  Hall  (Introd., 
pp.  44-48),  and  I myself  have  written  on  ‘ Sivarama’ s Com- 
mentary on  the  Vasavadattd’  (in  JAOS.  24.  57-63),  so  that  the 
problems  there  treated  need  not  be  repeated  in  this  place. 

Although  the  editions  of  Subandhu’s  romance  will  be  duly 
listed  in  the  bibliography  (see  below, pp.  197-198),  a more  detailed 
discussion  seems  appropriate  here.  These  editions  are  seven  in 
number.  The  first  and  best-known,  which  represents  the 
‘ northern’  recension,  is  that  of  Fitzedward  Hall  (Calcutta,  1859), 
based  on  eight  manuscripts  and  accompanied  by  the  gloss  of 
Sivarama  Tripathin,  who  flourished  early  in  the  eighteenth 
century.  The  introduction  to  this  edition  has  become  a classic 
among  Sanskritists,  and  the  learning  which  it  evinces  on  every 
page  renders  it  amply  deserving  of  this  honour.  Hall’s  text,  how- 
ever, represents  a form  really  older  than  any  of  his  manuscripts, 
being  that  of  Sivarama,  in  whose  favour  the  editor  repeatedly 
discarded  the  united  authority  of  all  his  manuscripts,  a method  of 
textual  criticism  which  may  perhaps  be  considered  open  to  objec- 
tion. The  text  of  Hall  has  been  reprinted  verbatim  by  Jlvananda 
Vidyasagara  (Calcutta,  1874;  3d  ed.,  1907).  The  remaining  five 
editions  belong  to  the  ‘ southern  ’ recension.  Of  these  the  earliest 
is  one  in  Telugu  script  (Madras,  1861),  which  was  reprinted,  with 
a correction  of  misprints,  in  Telugu  (Madras,  1862)  and  Grantha 
script  (Madras,  1870).  The  second  of  these,  duly  collated  with 
the  India  Office  copies  of  the  other  two,  which  Mr.  F.  W.  Thomas, 
librarian  of  the  India  Office,  London,  most  kindly  placed  at  my 
disposal,  is  transcribed  below  (pp.  1 45-1 95).  The  text  of  this 
‘southern’  recension  is  evidently  later  than  the  ‘ northern’,  since 
it  abounds  in  interpolations,  especially  in  the  lengthened  Mesas  and 


40 


vAsavadatta 


virddhas.  The  three  editions  under  consideration  contain  the  same 
commentary,  which  has  appeared  to  me  to  be  negligible,  and 
which,  according  to  Mr,  J.  K.  Balasubrahmanyam,  the  publisher 
of  the  Srirangam  text  (Pref.  p.  i)  to  be  mentioned  below,  ‘is 
traditionally  attributed  to  one  Tippa  Bhupala,  but  nothing  is 
certain  about  it.  For  instance,  just  as  we  were  completing  this 
book  we  got  a palm-leaf  manuscript  of  this  work  containing  a 
commentary  said  to  be  by  one  Ramanatha.  On  closer  exami- 
nation it  turned  out  to  be  neither  more  nor  less  than  the 
commentary  given  in  the  Grantha  and  Telugu  editions.’  The 
same  general  recension,  though  with  a number  of  interesting 
variations,  is  represented  by  the  edition  published  at  Srirangam 
in  1906-1908,  on  the  basis  of  several  old  palm-leaf  manuscripts. 
It  also  contains  an  admirably  full,  careful,  and  suggestive  modem 
Sanskrit  commentary  and  an  equally  noteworthy  Sanskrit  intro- 
duction by  the  editor,  R.  V.  Krishnamachariar,  of  which  I have 
most  helpfully  availed  myself.  I distinctly  consider  Hall’s  and 
this  as  the  best  editions  of  the  Vasavadatta  that  have  yet 
appeared.  The  Telugu  text  is  also  represented,  more  closely,  by 
T.  V.  Srinivasachariar’s  edition  (Trichinopoly,  1906),  which,  I 
regret  to  say,  seems  to  me  to  offer  scope  for  some  improvement. 
All  the  divergencies  of  the  Madras,  Srirangam,  and  Trichinopoly 
editions  from  the  text  of  Hall  will  be  found  duly  recorded  in  the 
footnotes  to  the  present  translation,  while  the  variations  of  the 
‘ southern  ’ from  the  ‘ northern  ’ recension  will  be  indicated  by 
parentheses  in  the  appended  transliteration,  the  portions  of  the 
‘ northern  ’ text  omitted  by  the  ‘ southern  ’ being  there  supplied 
in  square  brackets.  It  will  be  clear  that  a critical  text  of  the 
Vasavadatta , which  shall  take  into  account  all  accessible  manu- 
scripts, commentaries,  and  editions,  is  still  a desideratum. 

The  Remaining  Sanskrit  Prose  Romances.  Except  for  a 
digression  on  the  relation  sometimes  held  to  exist  between  the 
Sanskrit  and  the  Greek  romance  (see  above,  pp.  35-38),  this 
Introduction  to  the  Vasavadatta  has  thus  far  purposely  been 
restricted  to  Subandhu  and  his  work,  especially  as  Meyer 
(Dandm  s Dacakumaracaritam , die  Abenteuer  dcr  zehn  Prinzen, 


INTRODUCTION 


4i 


pp.  1-139,  Leipzig,  1902)  and  Collins  (The  Geographical  Data  of 
the  Raghuvamsa  and  the  Dasakumdracarita  considered  more 
especially  in  their  Bearing  upon  the  Date  of  these  Works , Leipzig, 
1907)  have  devoted  admirable  studies  to  Dandin,  while  Peterson 
( Kadambari , 2 ed.,  Introd.,  Bombay,  1889)  has  done  a similar 
service  for  Bana.  Moreover,  the  Dasakumdracarita , Harsacanta, 
and  Kadambari  are  all  readily  accessible,  not  only  in  numerous 
editions,  which  need  not  be  enumerated  here,  but  also  in  excellent 
translations  (the  Dasakumdracarita  by  Meyer,  op.  cit.,  and  by 
Haberlandt,  Munich,  1903 ; the  Harsacarita  by  Cowell  and 
Thomas,  London,  1897  ; and  the  Kadambari  by  Ridding, 
London,  1896).  It  may  not  be  amiss,  however,  to  add  a brief 
outline  of  such  other  Sanskrit  romances  as  have  thus  far  been 
analysed,  though  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  further  investiga- 
tions and  additional  and  fuller  catalogues  of  Sanskrit  manuscripts 
will,  in  all  probability,  add  to  the  sum  of  akhyana  literature.1 
Omitting  campus  on  Rama,  Krsna,  Aniruddha,  and  Nala,  as  well 
as  rifacimenti  of  the  Mahabhdrata  and  Ramayana,  and  pseudo- 
histories of  Salivahana  and  Mayuravarman,  attention  may  here 
be  called  to  two  late  Sanskrit  romances.  The  first  of  these  is 
the  Yasastilaka  of  Sdmadeva,  who  completed  his  romance  in 
959  A.  D.  The  work  has  been  analysed  in  detail  by  Peterson 
(Second  Report  of  Operations  in  Search  of  Sanskrit  Manuscripts 
in  the  Bombay  Circle , pp.  33-49,  Bombay,  1884)  and  has  been 
edited  by  Sivadatta  and  Parab  ( Kavyamala , No.  70,  2 parts, 
Bombay,  1901-1903).  It  is  a religious  romance,  treating  of  the 
conversion  of  Maridatta,  king  of  Rajapura,  from  Brahmanism  to 
Jainism  through  the  agency  of  his  twin  nephew  and  niece,  whom 
he  was  about  to  offer  in  sacrifice,  not  knowing  who  they  were,  and 
through  the  arguments  of  the  Jain  sage  Sudatta.  The  familiar 
device  of  the  story  within  a story,  whereby  Maridatta’s  nephew 

1 Krishnamachariar  (Introd.,  pp.  1-2)  notes  the  paucity  of  works  of  this  type,  but 
he  enumerates  the  following  which  would  otherwise  have  escaped  my  notice  : Dhana- 
pala’s  Tilakamanjari  (ed.  Bombay,  1903  = Kavyamala,  No.  85),  the  Jain  romance 
Gadyacintamani  (variously  ascribed  to  Vadlbhasimha,  PradTpasimha,  and  Simhasuri), 
Abhinavabhattabana’s  Virandraya.ua  and  Haricandra’s  Jivandharacampu , the  frag- 
mentary Srikrsnacarita  of  Agastyakavi,  the  lost  Trdilokyasundari  of  Rudra,  and 
the  lost  TarangavatT.  He  also  attempts  to  account  for  this  scantiness  (pp.  2-8). 


42 


VASAVADATTA 


tells  his  uncle  all  his  history,  and  a series  of  reincarnations,  as 
in  the  Dasakumaracarita  and  Kadambari}  are  both  found  in 
Sbmadeva’s  romance,  while  learned  precedents  and,  what  is  still 
more  remarkable,  explicit  quotations  from  other  poets,  including 
Bana,  abound.  Altogether,  it  is  clear  from  Peterson’s  admirable 
analysis  that  the  Yasastilaka  richly  deserves  translation,  both 
as  belonging  to  a category  of  Sanskrit  literature  of  which  too 
few  specimens  are  extant,  and  as  a valuable  source  for  additional 
knowledge  of  the  tenets  of  the  Jains. 

The  second  romance  which  should  be  noted  in  this  connexion 
is  Banesvara  Vidyalamkara  Bhattacarya’s  Citracampu,  written  in 
1744  A.  D.  in  honour  of  Citrasena,  king  of  Vardhamana,  and 
briefly  analysed  by  Eggeling  ( Catalogue  of  the  Sanskrit  Manu- 
scripts in  the  Library  of  the  India  Office , 7.  1543-1545,  London, 
1904).  This  novel  is  characterised  especially  by  a long  dream, 
and  by  an  unmistakable  inculcation  of  Vaisnavite  Vedantism  ; 
otherwise  it  offers  but  little  of  interest. 

1 See  ‘Reincarnation  as  a Novelistic  Device’,  in  WZKM.  18.  54-58.  For  reincar- 
nation in  a modern  Western  novel  see  Margaret  Potter’s  Flame-Gatherers  (London, 
1904),  and  Bain’s  Descent  of  the  Sun  (London,  1903).  The  earliest  example  known 
is  the  Egyptian  Tale  of  the  Two  Brothers,  written  in  the  nineteenth  dynasty  (1 375— 
1202  b.C.  ; tr.  Maspero,  Contes  popnlaires  de  I'Fgypte  ancietine , 3 ed.,  pp.  3-20, 
Paris,  1906). 


[Dr.  Ogden  draws  my  attention  to  a reference  to  Subandhu 
in  an  anthology  of  a certain  Laksmana,  described  by  Peterson 
( Third  Report  of  Operations  in  Search  of  Sanskrit  Manuscripts 
in  the  Bombay  Circle , p.  35,  Bombay,  1887)  under  the  title  of 
Suktavali.  The  stanza,  whose  date  is  thus  far  unknown,  is  as 
follows  (Peterson,  op.  cit.t  Appendix,  p.  55) : 

jiyad  gadyasudhadhimyah 
subandhuh  prabhavacalah 
yad  bhahgdslesavi  asadya 
bhang  ah  kavibhir  asritah , 

‘ may  Subandhu,  in  strength  immovable,  prevail  over  the  nectarous 
stream  of  prose,  for  since  he  gained  combination  after  the  break- 
ing (of  words  into  their  component  parts),  the  breaking  (of  words 
into  their  component  parts)  has  been  employed  by  poets.’] 


VASAVADATTA  OF  SUBANDHU 


45 


[a]  Victorious  is  divine  Sarasvati, 

Who  aideth  bards  of  keen  and  nimble  wit 
To  see  the  world,  as  ’twere  a jujube-fruit, 

Lying  within  the  hollow  of  their  hands. 

Victorious,  too,  is  Hari,  resting  now, 

The  while  he  smileth  on  the  shepherd  lads 
Whose  upraised  arms  bend  1 ’neath  the  awful  weight 
Of  their  vast  burden ; yet  cry  unto  him : 

‘ Ah,  weary  art  thou,  let  the  mountain  be ; 

We  will  sustain  it,  Krsna,  lord  of  all  ’ ! 

[3]  May  he 2 whose  waist  is  girded  keep  you  safe, 

Yea,  he  whose  serried  furrows  brightly  shine; 

E’en  while  the  zone  he  hath  too  tightly  drawn 
Doth  work  distraction  by  its  beauteousness.3 

[4]  Victorious  is  the  god  4 whose  crescent  gleams 
Like  to  a silvern  pearl  by  Uma  set  5 

Upon  his  brow,  when  from  his  blazing  eye 
She  gathereth  the  black  collyrium. 

How  blessed  are  those  souls  beneficent 
Who  work  the  weal  of  others,  for  to  them 
The  moon  that  openeth  the  lotus-buds 
Doth  give  a twofold  meed  of  radiance6! 

[5]  The  wise  say  sooth  : ‘ More  loathsome  than  a snake 
Is  he  whose  soul  is  filled  with  wickedness  ’ : 

The  serpent  <hateth  the  ichneumon  tribe), 

But  leaves  his  brethren  safe ; while  knavish  folk 
With  venomed  tongues  <destroy  their  nearest  kin>.‘ 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ arms  bent  in  vain.’  2 Krsna. 

5 Tel.  ed.  interchanges  this  stanza  with  the  one  following. 

4 Siva.  5 Srirangam  text,  against  the  metre,  adds  ‘ upon  his  head. 

6 Translated  in  Bohtlingk,  IndischeSpruche,  2ed.,  No.  4552,  St.  Petersburg,  1870-1873. 

7 Bohtlingk,  op.  cit.  No.  6214.  The  stanza  is  still  popular  in  Mithila  (see  Grierson, 


4 6 VASAVADATTA 

[6]  In  evil  only  are  the  wicked  wise ; 

Like  as  the  owl  is  blind,  save  in  the  dark.1 

There  is  but  one  eclipse — foul  calumny  ; 

Only  the  clouds  that  hide  the  moon  are  black.2 

[7]  And  when  with  sooty  and  polluting  touch 
The  man  of  evil  fain  would  smirch  the  good, 

He  doth  increase  the  radiance  of  the  just  ; 

E’en  as  the  ashes  in  the  grinder’s  hand 

Do  but  enhance  the  lustrous  mirror’s  sheen.3 

Yet  <drought  doth  rule>  o’er  all,  the  «cranes  sport  not». 
Nor  doth  the  <«heron  seek  the  azure  vault»>, 

For  lo,  the  lake  hath  left  this  mortal  world  ; 

All  <joy  is  fled>,  and  «strange  kings  now  bear  rule», 
Wasting  the  earth  with  <«fratricidal»>  strife, 

For  Vikramaditya  hath  passed  away.4 

[8]  The  words  of  goodly  bards  rejoice  thine  ears, 

E’en  when  thou  knowest  not  their  wondrous  skill ; 

For  in  a jasmine  wreath  thine  eyes  delight, 

Though  to  thy  senses  come  no  perfumes  sweet.5 

The  noble  gain  true  knowledge  of  themselves 
By  observation  of  their  fellow  men  ; 

As  on  the  mirror’s  polished  surface  falls 
The  vision  of  the  soul’s  own  magnitude.6 


Curiosities  of  Indian  Literature,  pp.  8-9,  Bankipore,  1895,  who  says  : ‘Here  naku- 
ladvesi is  a threefold  pen.  It  means  either  “hating  the  ichneumon,”  or  “not  hating 
his  own  race,”  or  “ not  hating  the  members  of  the  family  of  the  man  he  has  bitten  ”).’ 
My  attention  was  kindly  called  to  this  reference  by  Professor  Zachariae  (card  of  May  2, 
1907),  and  Dr.  Grierson  very  courteously  loaned  me  his  personal  copy  of  the  little 
book.  It  should  be  noted  that  the  modem  proverb  reads  mrsa  na  instead  of  na  mrsa. 

1 Bohtlingk,  Itidische  Spriiche,  2 ed.,  No.  142,  St.  Petersburg,  1870-1873. 

2 Bohtlingk,  op.  cit.  No.  6126  ; Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  interchange  this  stanza 
with  the  one  following. 

5 Bohtlingk,  op.  cit.  No.  7376. 

4 For  the  valuelessness  of  this  stanza  as  a source  to  determine  the  date  of  the 
Vasavadattd  see  Introduction,  pp.  8-ri. 

5 Bohtlingk,  op.  cit.  No.  680. 

6 Bohtlingk,  op.  cit.  No.  2148. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


47 


[9]  Through  great  Sarasvati  this  book  was  writ 
By  Sujana’s  one  brother,  whom  mankind 
Doth  call  Subandhu,  skilled  full  dextrously 
To  interweave  in  every  word  a pun.1 

[10]  There  was  a king  named  Cintamani,  whose  like  had 
never  existed,2  whose  nail-jewelled  feet  were  unscarred,  though 
rubbed  by  the  edge  of  a touchstone  which  was  the  series  of  the 
beautiful  crest-gems  of  the  circle  of  all  the  princes  of  the  earth. 

[ 1 1 ] He  caused  astonishment  by  <gifts  of  gold,  food,  raiment, 
and  estates)  as  Nrsimha  caused  astonishment  by  <rending  the 
body  of  Hiranyaka&pu)  3 ; he  gave  joy  to  the  <divinities  by  his 
goods)  as  Krsna  gave  joy  to  <Vasudeva>  ; [12]  he  <conquered 
with  ease)  the  circle  of  the  earth  as  Narayana  <upheld>  the  circle 
of  the  world  by  his  <boar’s  form) ; he  produced  <glorious  and 
blissful)  prosperity  as  Kamsa’s  foe  produced  prosperity  for 
<Yasoda  and  Nanda);  he  made  <poetry  honoured)  as  Anaka- 
dundubhi  made  <Kavya  afraid)4;  [13]  he  had  his  lotus5  feet 
embellished  by  the  rays6  of  the  crest -jewels  of  <many  serpents) 
as  Sagara^ayi  had  his  lotus  5 feet  embellished  by  the  rays 6 of  the 
crest-jewel  of  the  <cosmic  serpent)  ; he  protected  <unceasingly)  as 
Varuna  protected  the  <western  regions) ; he  adorned  <petitions 
with  gifts)  as  Agastya  adorned  the  Southern  districts) ; he  was 
the  lord  of  a hundred  <armies>  and  «habitually  levied  just  taxes)) 
as  the  ocean  is  the  lord  of  a hundred  <rivers>  and  is  the  «habitat 
of  fish));  [14]  he  was  followed  by  a <great  army)  and  repulsed 
<Sobstacles»  as  Hara  is  followed  by  <Mahasena>  and  repulses 
«Mara» ; he  was  the  home  of  the  <wise>  and  the  dwelling-place 
of  the  «acts  of  all  men))  as  Meru  is  the  home  of  the  <gods>  and 
the  dwelling-place  of  «Visvakarman»  ; he  Crejoiced  in  generosity 
at  festal  times)  and  removed  sorrow  by  his  «beauty»  as  the  sun 
doves  not  the  night)  and  removes  the  sorrow  of  «Chaya» ; he 

1 Omitted  by  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text.  Cf.  Introduction,  p.  13. 

2 Tel.  ed.,  1 of  no  mean  nature.’  For  a somewhat  similar  description  of  a king  see 
Kadambart,  pp.  7-14,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr.  Ridding,  pp.  3-5,  London,  1896). 

3 Cf.  Visnupurana,  I.  17-20.  4 Cf.  Harivamia,  59. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ lotus.’  6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ series.' 


4« 


vAsavadattA 


gave  <unimpeded>  prosperity  and  afforded  delight  in  <Kintercourse» 
as  the  God  of  the  Flowery  Banner1  gave  prosperity  to  (Ani- 
ruddha)  and  afforded  delight  to  «Rati». 

[15]  Though  a <demigod>,  he  was  a «god»,  for  he  was  a 
«benevolent»  <receptacle  of  wisdom)  ; though  a (Dhrtarastra),  he 
was  a «friend  of  Bhlma»,  for  he  was  a <ruler  of  a kingdom) 
«who  loved  virtue»  ; though  <come  to  earth),  he  took  refuge  2 in 
the  «courts  of  the  gods»,  for  he  was  (filled  with  patience)  and 
took  refuge2  in  «good  government))  ; [16]  though  a <great  reed) 
by  nature,  he  was  «smooth»  within,  for  his  was  the  nature  of 
(Arjuna),  «upright»  within  ; [17]  though  born  of  a <buffalo>,  he 
was  «begotten  by  a bull)),  for  he  was  born  of  a <queen>  and  was 
a «producer  of  government))  ; though  no  <central  gem  of  a neck- 
lace), he  was  the  «midmost  jewel  of  a throat-band»,  for  he  was 
a <fearless>,  «mighty  leader)). 

While  he  ruled  the  earth,  <quibblings 3 and  fallacies)  were 
practised  only  in  arguments  4 (for  there  was  no  need  of  <habitually 
checking  deceit)5);  [18]  there  was  (infidelity)  only  among 
materialists  (for  there  was  no  <poverty>) ; there  was  employment 
of  a <spur>  only  in  executing  commands6  (for  there  was  no 
employment  of  <petty  enemies));  there  was  (picking)  [19]  only 
on  lutes  (for  there  was  no  <back-biting>)  ; there  was  association 
with  (threshing-floors)  only  in  the  case  of  rice  (for  there  was  no 
association  with  (evil  men)) ; there  was  capture  of  (snakes)  only 
among  serpent-charmers  (for  there  was  no  need  to  capture 
(liars)) ; (imposts)  were  cut  only  in  the  receipt  of  taxes  (for  there 
was  no  amputation  of  (hands)7) ; (roots)  were  plucked  out  only 
in  the  case  of  ((wormwood-trees))  (for  ((ascetics))  did  not  pluck 
out  their  (eyes)) ; [20]  only  lotuses  opposed  the  (moon)  (for  there 
was  no  opposition  to  (Brahmans) 8) ; (‘  ruler  of  the  world  ’>  was 
applied  only  to  the  elephant  of  the  north  9 (but  not  to  any  man 

1 Kama.  2 Srirangam  text,  ‘ he  was  the  refuge  of.’ 

3 Srirangam  text  adds  ‘ futile  answers.’  4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ only  in  Nyaya  textbooks.’ 

5 Srirangam  text  adds  ‘ and  castes.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ only  in  yoga-exercises.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * there  was  hand-cutting  only  in  blossoms.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  king.’ 

a Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * only  to  the  world-elephants.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


49 


save  the  (king)) ; there  were  <fire-tests  and  balance-tests>  only  in 
the  case  of  different  sorts  of  gold  (for  there  were  no  <ordeals  by 
fire  or  balance)1);  only  jewels  were  <pierced  by  needles)  (for 
there  was  no  disturbance  by  suggestive  movements)) ; only  in 
child-bearing 2 was  there  rending  with  <griping  pains)  (for  there 
was  no  rending  by  Cimpalement))  ; [21]  (Duhsasana  was  known) 
only  in  the  Bharata  3 (for  there  was  no  <glimpse  of  evil  instruc- 
tion)) ; the  <sun’s  rays  opened  leaves)  4 only  in  the  case  of  lotuses 
(for  there  was  no  (sawing  asunder)  5). 

Though  the  Great  Boar  was  intent  on  upholding  the  (earth), 
yet  he  (Cintamani)  clove  (mountains).  Raghava  entered  the 
forest  with  (Sita)  leaving  his  native  land  (but  Cintamani  entered 
the  forest  having  his  (native  land)).  Bharata  had  affection  for 
Rama,  yet  made  (Rama  depart)  from  his  kingdom  (but  Cinta- 
mani made  (peace)  in  his  kingdom).  [22]  When  Nala  was  united 
to  DamayantI  it  was  a (marriage  of  one  already  wedded)  (but 
Cintamani  (regained  his  territory)).  Prthu  (levelled  the  earth  by 
banishing  the  mountains)6  (but  Cintamani  (covered  the  earth  by 
sending  forth  his  offspring) 7).  There  was,  therefore,  no  reason  to 
mention  former  kings.8 

He,  moreover,  was  another  sort  of  monarch  and  had  humbled 
all  the  princes  on  earth.  Thus  he  was  a mountain  with  a visible 
exaltation  of  (peak),  which  never  ceased  to  delight  the  «Gan- 


1 In  the  ordeal  by  balance  the  accused  was  twice  weighed.  If  he  was  lighter  at  the 
second  weighing  than  at  the  first,  he  was  acquitted  ; but  if  heavier,  he  was  condemned. 
In  the  fire-ordeal  the  defendant  was  required  to  carry  a heated  metal  pot  a certain 
distance,  and  was  adjudged  innocent  if  his  hands,  which  might  be  bound  with  leaves 
as  a partial  protection,  remained  unburned  (see  Jolly,  Recht  und  Sitte,  p.  145, 
Strassburg,  1896). 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ in  new  (i.e.  ‘ first’)  child-bearings  of  young  women’;  Srirangam  text, 
‘ in  child-bearings.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ in  the  Mahabharata.' 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * the  opening  of  leaves  of  lotuses  by  the  rays  of  the 
sun  was  the  very  utmost  decree.’ 

5 Cf.  the  Iranian  legend  of  the  sawing  asunder  of  Yima  by  Spityura  ( last , 19.  46). 

6 Cf.  Mahabharata,  7.  69. 

7 This  rendering  seems  justified  by  the  context  and  by  the  paronomasiac  meanings  of 
the  words  employed,  although  the  commentary  does  not  allude  to  the  applicability  of 
the  passage  to  Cintamani. 

8 Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ but  rather  (there  was  occasion)  of  blame  (of  them).’ 

E 


5° 


vAsavadattA 


dharvas  who  roamed  along  its  slopes»  ; for  he  never  ceased,  with 
his  visible  exaltation  of  <majesty>,  to  delight  the  «steeds  that 
bore  his  army».  [23]  He  was  a <Himalaya>,  though  not  shaken 
by  «snow»  nor  suited  to  the  birth  of  «Uma»,  for  he  was  <indeed 
a lotus>  unshaken  by  «pride»  and  unsuited  for  the  birth  of 
«deceit».  He  was  a «snowy»  <bullock>-banner  set  upon  a 
«hill»,  for  he  was  «indeed  exalted  in  speech»  and  set  as  a banner 
of  <justice>. 

He  was  a <wind>,  <bending  all  the  forest  down>,  <a  friend  of 
the  fire>,  <eager  for  the  clouds>,  and  <bearing  along  the  flowers> ; 
for  he  was  <ever  patient),  <straightening  every  crooked  way),1 
<foremost  of  ascetics),  <not  avid  of  sensual  pleasures),2  and  the 
<joy  of  the  wise).  [24]  He  was  a mine  of  gems  <with  no 
serpents),3  exceeding  4 deep  its  <boundaries>,  <no  otter  a terror  to 
it),  ever  a very  refuge  for  <fishes>,  <filled  with  water),  <bearing 
ships),5  whereto  (belonged)  the  <mountain 6 and  the  crocodile), 
<the  mighty  lord  of  rivers),  the  <ocean> ; [25]  for  he  was  <no 
knave),7  exceeding  4 deep  his  <decorum>,  <no  light  of  his  dismaying 
any),  ever  a refuge  like  the  <moon>,8  <delightsome>,  <rich  in 
children),9  <his  serenity  unshaken),  <great,  proud),  and  <with 
a signet  ring).  [26]  As  the  moon  causes  joy  in  the  <night 
season),  is  the  friend  10  of  <white  lotuses),  has  his  mansion  filled 
with  all  the  <digits>,  and  is  Unsurpassed  by  the  constellations) ; 
he  caused  joy  in  the  festivals),  was  the  friend 10  of  <pleasure 
groves  on  earth),  had  his  mansion  filled  with  all  the  <arts>,  and 
<subdued  the  excessive  might  of  his  foes).  As  Sumeru  caused 
the  <sun  to  rise),  gave  a <golden  glory),  and  had  <wealth  sur- 
passing the  (other)  mountains) ; he  caused  the  prosperity  of  his 
friends),  possessed  <every  beauty),  and  had  <good  fortune  im- 
pregnable and  abundant). 

1 Or,  * banishing  all  famine.’  2 Or,  ‘ eager  for  the  gods.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  no  timayas  ’ (glossed  as  ‘ a sort  of  fish ,’  i.  e.  ‘a  whale  ’)  ; Srirangam 
text,  1 with  no  fear  of  serpents.’  4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit. 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  a good  bed.’  6 Mainaka. 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ unbending  Srirangam  text,  ‘ fearing  not  his  subjects.’ 

* Tel.  ed.,  ‘ ever  with  a moon-like  mind.’ 

* Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ receptacle  of  virtue.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  one  friend.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


51 

[27]  Even  had  Arjuna  been  ever  with  them,  the  ranks  of  his 
foes  would  not  have  been  equal  to  the  (combats  in  the  Mahabha- 
rata>,  for  they  were  not  equal  to  (bearing  great  burdensX  Though 
(Bhlsma),  he  was  «unkind  to  Santanu)),  for  he  was  (terrible)  and 
had  a «ceaseless  desire  for  glory» ; though  (wandering  on  the 
mountains),  «he  dwelt  not  on  the  hills)),  for  he  was  (accompanied 
by  his  attendants)  and  «needed  not  the  admiration  of  his 
family)). 

[28]  And,  furthermore,  he  (wavered  1 not  from  the  path  of 
a warrior),  as  Trisanku  2 (wavered  1 in  the  path  of  the  constella- 
tions) ; though  he  was  (Siva),  «he  drank  no  poison)),  for  he  was 
a (giver  of  weal)  and  «not  depressed)) ; though  he  was  a (fire), 
he  was  not  a «flame»,  for  he  was  a (purifier)  and  free  from  <Kevil 
habits)) ; though  he  was  a (burner),  he  was  not  a <(consumer», 
for  he  had  a (longing  for  hermitages)  and  was  no  «destroyer» ; 

[29]  he  was  no  Yama  (snatching  life  away  suddenly),  for  he  did 
not  (deprive  of  life  without  reason) ; he  was  no  Rahu  increasing 
his  (radiance  by  swallowing  the  sun’s  disc),3  for  he  did  not  increase 
his  (greed  by  seizing  the  kingdom  of  a friend);  he  was  no  Nala 
crushed  4 by  (Kali),  for  he  was  not  crushed  4 by  (strife);  he  was 
no  Cakri  exhilarated  by  the  death  of  (Srgala),5  for  he  was  not 
exhilarated  by  the  death  of  a (craven);  he  was  attended  by 
(glory  and  generosity)  as  the  cowherd  Nanda  was  attended  by 
(Yasoda)  ; he  (planned  peace  and  war)  as  Jarasanda’s  (body  was 
disrupted  union) 6 ; he  possessed  (generosity  and  luxury)  as 
Bhargava  (ever  wandered  in  the  clouds) ; [30]  he  was  attended 
by  (good  friends)  and  commanded  «good  counsel))  as  Dasaratha 
was  attended  by  (Sumitra)  and  commanded  «Sumantra»  ; he 
was  (devoted  to  worthy  objects  of  generosity)  and  protected 
the  <(earth»  as  Dillpa  was  (beloved  by  Sudaksina)  and  protected 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘fell.’ 

2 Srirangam  text,  ‘though  Trisanku  ....  for  he  had  triple  powers.’ 

3 Cf.  Makabharata,  i.  19. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ having  his  body  conquered  ’ ; cf.  Makabharata, 
3.  58-61. 

5 Cf.  Harivamsa,  100. 

6 Cf.  Makabharata , 2.  17. 


52  VASAVADATTA 

the  «cow» 1 ; his  glory  was  exalted  by  his  Cvirtuous  life>  as 
Rama’s  glory  was  exalted  by  the  <birth  of  Kusa  and  Lava). 

He  had  a son  named  Kandarpaketu.  He  was  the  <joy  of  the 
hermits)  as  the  coral-tree  <stands  in  Indra’s  garden)2;  [31]  he 
<produced  weal)  as  Himalaya  was  the  <birthplace  of  Siva); 
he  was  <marked  by  his  luxurious  pleasures)  as  Mandara  is 
<scarred  by  the  body  of  the  serpent) ; his  <crores  were  enjoyed 
by  great  kings)  as  Kailasa’s  <summit  is  enjoyed  by  the  Great 
Lord)  3 ; he  gave  pleasure  to  many  <women>  as  the  spring  gives 
pleasure  in  many  <gardens> ; [32]  he  made  the  <earth>  resound 
as  Mandara,  lifted  on  high  in  the  churning  of  the  ocean  of  milk, 
made  the  <water>  resound  ; he  <took  delight  in  love)  as  the  God 
of  Passion’s  Bond  4 Crejoices  Rati)  ; he  was  shaken  by  <meditation> 
as  the  collected  ashes  of  Siva  are  shaken  at  <twilight>  5 ; [33]  he 
had  a <pure  heart)  and  «clung  to  Visnu’s  feet»  as  an  autumn 
cloud  has  a (lurid  centre)  and  «depends  from  the  sky»  6 ; he  was 
accustomed  to  (all  passion  and  merriment)  as  Arjuna  was  accus- 
tomed to  be  (courageous  in  battle) ; [34]  he  was  adorned  with 
a (garland  of  the  circle  of  the  earth)  as  Kamsa  was  adorned 
with  a (blue  lotus  garland)  ; he  gave  joy  to  the  (humble)7  and 
«delighted  the  wise))  as  Tarksya  gave  joy  to  (Vinata)7  and  had 
«Sumukha  for  a son»  ; he  (clasped)  a beautiful  form  to  his 
«breast»  as  Visnu  (changed)  his  beautiful  form  into  a «boar)> ; 
he  had  (time  and  justice)  put  into  his  own  power  as  Santanava 
had  (Death)  put  into  his  own  power  ; [35]  he  governed  (full 
happily)  as  the  host  of  Kauravas  was  led  by  (Susarman). 

Though  (Subahu),8  he  was  a joy  to  «Rama»,  for  he  had 
(beautiful  arms)  and  gave  joy  to  «women»  ; though  he  had  (two 

1 Cf.  Raghuvamia,  1-2. 

2 The  heaven  of  Indra,  the  home  of  warriors  fallen  in  battle,  and  the  future  hope  of 

popular  classic  Hinduism,  is  particularly  renowned  for  its  wonderful  coral-tree,  which, 
according  to  Visnupurana , 5.  30,  was  produced  at  the  churning  of  the  ocean  of  milk, 
and  which  has  golden  bark,  copper-coloured  leaves,  and  flowers  of  surpassing 
fragrance.  3 Siva. 

4 Kama.  5 An  allusion  to  Siva’s  revel  dances  at  nightfall. 

6 Srirangam  text,  ‘ he  had  a <pure  heart)  as  an  autumn  cloud  has  a <lurid  centre) ; 
he  <clung  to  Visnu’s  feet)  as  the  moon  (depends  from  the  sky).’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit. 

8 Cf.  Ramayana,  1.  30. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


53 


eyes),  he  was  dSiva)),  for  he  was  a <Kgreat  monarchy  who  <gazed 
on  all  alike) ; though  <made  of  pearls),  his  «waist  had  no  central 
jewel)),  for  he  was  <free  from  disease)  and  dvirile))  ; as  a cloud 
[36]  <terrifies  flamingoes  with  showers  of  exceeding  purity),  he 
<slew  kings  terrified  by  the  edge  of  his  flashing  sword) ; though 
a light  upon  a <pole>,  his  <Kwick  was  not  consumed)),  for  he  was 
the  light  of  his  <race>  and  his  «estate  was  unimpaired)). 

The  noble,  resembling  oceans  with  beauteous  <mountains>, 
with  <waters>  increased  exceedingly,  and  with  <contented  crea- 
tures), attained  their  highest  growth  through  him  who  was,  as  it 
were,  the  moon  when  its  <Xhouse  has  all  its  digits,  removes  the 
distress  of  night,  opens  the  white  lotuses)),  [37]  is  a friend  to 
«white  lotus  groves)),1  and  «adorns  a quarter  of  the  sky)) ; for 
the  noble,  with  <radiant  limbs),  with  <life>  increased  exceedingly, 
and  with  <amiable  qualities),  [38]  attained  their  highest  growth 
through  him  who  was  the  «home  of  the  aggregation  of  all  virtues, 
delighted  in  Siva’s  way,  destroyed  his  enemies)),  was  a friend  of 
«pleasure  groves  on  earth)),1  and  had  his  «hopes  fulfilled)). 

And  the  hearts  of  women  rejoiced  at  the  sight  of  him  who 
was  like  the  God  of  the  Dolphin  Banner,  causing  <Aniruddha> 
delight,  <dear  to  Rati),  and  <armed  with  an  arrow  of  flowers) ; for 
he  caused  <unimpeded>  delight,  was  a <friend  of  wantonness),  and 
Surpassed  the  Flower-God).  For  him  who  was  as  the  spring 
with  the  attendant  southern  breeze),  with  <sweet  koel-notes)2 
pleasing  the  ear,3  expanding  the  <buds>,  making  the  <forests 
bend),  [39]  <delightsome  with  fragrant  flowers),  with  dotuses) 
easy  for  all  to  gather,  possessing  an  abundance  of  <white  thorn- 
apple  trees)  spread  abroad,  but  passing  over  the  <wormwood>, 
damsels  felt  attachment,  being  like  creepers  of  the  forest  with 
a thousand  «buds»,  crowded  with  «bees»,  charming  with 
«sprigs»,  and  with  «sportive  birds))  ; since  he  had  a <continual 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit. 

2 The  notes  of  the  koel,  or  Indian  cuckoo  ( Eudynamis  orientalis,  Linn.),  though  in 
themselves  scarcely  pleasant,  are  hailed  with  delight  as  a harbinger  of  spring,  and  the 
bird  is,  therefore,  regarded  as  a friend  of  love. 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  eye  and  ear.’ 


54 


vAsavadatta 


income  for  the  attendant  nobles),1  possessed  a <sweet  koel-voice> 
pleasing  the  ear,2  expanded  <love>,  gave  a <charming  colour  to 
women),  <delighted  in  learned  sages),  possessed  <good  fortune) 
easy  for  all  to  gather,  spread  abroad  an  abundance  of  <gold>,  and 
surpassed  his  <foes>,  while  the  damsels  [40]  were  filled  with 
a thousand  «anxieties»,  were  sought  by  «lovers»,3  were  charming 
because  of  their  «coral  necklaces)),4  and  were  at  the  «wanton  age». 

And  by  his  staff-like  arm  on  the  field  of  battle  [41]  the  bow 
was  gained,  by  the  bow  the  arrows,  by  the  arrows  his  foeman’s 
head,  by  this  5 * the  world,0  by  this 7 a leader  such  as  had  never 
been  before,  by  the  leader  fame,  by  fame  the  seven  seas,  by  the 
seas  the  renown  of  the  kings  of  the  Krta  and  other  ages,  and  by 
that  8 constancy,  and  by  this 9 something  marvellous  every  instant. 
And  the  periphery  of  the  bosoms  of  the  lovely  wives  of  his  foes, 
who  had  been  consumed  by  the  fire  of  his  majesty,  was  deserted 
by  their  pearl  necklaces,  as  if  terrified  by  the  blows  of  their  hands. 

[42]  And  his  sword,  as  if  coloured  with  lac  from  the  feet  of 
the  Goddess  of  Victory  which  had  been  moistened  with  the 
blood  of  slain  infantry,  elephants,  and  horses,  shone  over  a sea  of 
conflict  whose  shores  were  covered  with  quantities  of  pearls10 
fallen  from  must  elephants’ 11  frontal  lobes  which  were  shattered 
by  sharp  arrows,  with  flying  <birds>,  with  hundreds  of  <rivers  and 
white  and  blue  lotuses)  whose  manifold  charms  were  spread 
through  the  <beautiful>  waters,12  with 13  <dancing  waters),  and 
terrible  because  of  the  fierce  pride  of  the  icarub kata')- fish  which 


1 Or,  ‘ was  a competency  for  his  retainers,  sages,  and  honourable  men.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  eye  and  ear.’ 

3 Or,  * had  curls  on  their  foreheads.’  4 Or,  ‘ because  of  their  long  hair.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ by  the  foeman’s  head.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ by  the  world  unprecedented  renown  as  a leader,  and  by  renown  fame.’ 

7 Srirangam  text,  ‘ by  the  world.’  8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ by  renown.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ by  constancy.’  10  Srirangam  text,  ‘ round  pearls.’ 

11  The  frontal  lobe  of  an  elephant  is  believed  to  contain  a pearl,  called  kunjaramani 
or  gajamani , which  is  possessed  of  magic  properties  (Crooke,  Popular  Religion  and 

Folk-Lore  of  Northern  India,  2 ed.,  2.  240,  Westminster,  1896). 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  not  alluding  to  pun,  ‘ with  tortoises  (clinging)  on  the 

feet  of  elephants  coming  up  from  the  beautiful  water,  with  lovely  white  and  blue 

lotuses,  with  hundreds  of  rivers.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘undulating  with.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


55 


were  eager  to  consort  with  the  [43]  C surasundaris') ; since  it 
shone  on  a sea  of  conflict1  whose  shores  were  covered  with 
quantities  of  pearls  fallen  from  must  elephants’  frontal  lobes 
which  were  shattered  by  sharp  arrows,  with  flying  <darts>,  with 
hundreds  of  <fleshless,  white-umbrellaed  armies>  whose  manifold 
charms  were  spread  through  the  <red>  waters,  with  2 <convulsing 
corpses),  and  terrible  because  of  the  fierce  pride  of  <warriors> 
eager  to  consort  with  the  <Apsarasas>. 

[44]  Then,  once  upon  a time,  when  the  night  was  finished ; 
when  the  Lotus-Lord  of  shell-like  beauty  was  sinking  with  his 
spouse,  the  Night,  into  the  western 3 sea;  while  he  was  white,  as 
it  were,  with  the  curds  which  constitute  a morsel  of  food  for 
(Buddhist)  ascetics  at  their  mealtime,  and  was  like  a mass  of 
Yamuna’s  foam  by  night,  and  resembled  a fragment  of  stone4 
for  the  polishing  of  Menaka’s  nails,  and  had  the  shade  of  the 
soma-plant  in  the  centre  of  his  body,  and  resembled  the  silvern 
earring 5 of  a head  laid  softly  down  on  the  pillow  of  the  western 
mount,  and  seemed  to  be  the  goblet  of  Lady  Night  containing 
a remnant  of  wine ; [45]  when  the  bees  had  their  feet  caught  in 
the  pollen  of  the  white  lotuses  which  had  been  converted  into 
cold  6 paste  by  the  dew ; when  by  their  soft  chatter  the  mainas 
revealed  women  at  their  rendezvous  ; when  the  huts  of  the 
ascetics  awoke  intent  on  study ; when  the  streets  resounded  with 
poetic  tales  chanted  by  mendicants  in  the  vibhasa  mode7;  [46] 
when  the  lamps  seemed  unable,  because  of  their  exceeding  thin- 
ness,8 to  bear  the  blackness  of  night 9 which  they  had  entirely 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘in  the  forefront  of  battle,  as  on  a sea  terrible  with 
the  roaring  noise  of  soldiers  marching  in  eagerness  to  consort  with  the  Apsarasas  ’ — 
apparently  with  no  attempt  to  pun. 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ undulating  with.’ 

3 The  distinctly  conventional  character  of  Subandhu’s  romance  is  well  illustrated  by 
his  making  the  moon  set  in  the  west  because  the  sun  does. 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘crystalline  stone’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘fragment  of  white  stone  for  the 
polishing.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  circle  of  the  silvern  earring  of  night,  with  her  head  softly  resting,' 
etc. ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * cold,  icy  water.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ ^aramode.’  8 Or,  ‘emptiness.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘mass  of  nocturnal  blackness.’ 


56 


vAsavadattA 


swallowed  up,  and  which  they  vomited,  as  it  were,1  under  the 
guise  of  lampblack,  and  were  exhausted  by  having  stretched 
their  necks  a hundred  times  as  if  to  see  the  tremulous  delights 
of  amorous  union,2  [47]  and  had  been  witnesses  of  manifold  ways 
of  wanton  sport,3  seeming  to  protect  the  darkness 4 lurking 
beneath  them  as  if  it  were  a refugee  ; when  they  had  become 
<dull>  because  their  «oil»  had  been  consumed  as  knaves6 
become  <slack>  because  their  <Kaffections»  have  been  consumed  ; 
when  they  had  reached  the  end  of  their  <wicks>  as  the  exceed- 
ingly aged  reach  the  end  of  their  <lives> ; when  they  had  only 
their  <bowls>  left  as  noble  lords  reduced  in  their  estate  have 
only  their  <bodies>  left  ; [48]  when  they  were  <put  in  the  middle 
of  the  house)  as  demons  <wander  abroad  at  the  end  and  middle  of 
night) ; when  they  had  <moths>  flying  about  them  as  the  <sun) 
descends  on  the  summit  of  the  western  mount ; when  the  gifts  of 
flowers  in  the  boudoirs,  that  had  been  noisy  with  the  humming6 
of  swarms  of  bees  delighting7  in  the  abundance  of  unceasing 
drops8  of  honey  had  withered;  [49]  when  the  downy  Nepal 
jasmines  had  fallen  from  the  tresses ; when  fair  women  seemed 
to  be  pouring  forth  teardrops  for  grief  at  separation  from  their 
lovers 9 and,  with  bud-like  feet 10  tinkling  with  anklets,  delayed, 
as  it  were,  the  departure  of  their  best  beloved  ; when  the  mist  of 
perspiration  11  had  been  dried  by  the  wind  of  the  wings  of  a swarm 
of  bees  enamoured  of  the  perfume  of  the  wreaths  of  half-opened 
Malabar  jasmine  12  in  thick  tresses  dishevelled  by  weariness  of 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ as  it  were.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  * the  quivering  of  amorous  women.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘varied  love-joys  with  delights  manifold’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘wanton 
sport  with  perturbations  manifold.’ 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ mass  of  darkness.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  voices  of  knaves.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ sound  of  the  humming.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ stupefied  with  the  intoxication  of  tasting.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘drops  fallen  unceasingly’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ drops  falling  unceasingly.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ best  beloved.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ when  they  (the  fair  women)  shone  with  bud-like 
feet.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘particles  of  the  mist  of  perspiration’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘particles  of 
perspiration.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ madhavi.' 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


57 


intense  passion  in  the  waning  night ; [50]  when  damsels  were 
tuneful1  with  the  jingle  of  the  bracelets  on  their  tremulous, 
slender  arms  while  they  illumined  their  apartments  by  the  light 
of  the  rays2  of  their  milk-white  teeth,  revealed  through  their 
sobbing  at  the  pain  caused  by  the  loosening  of  the  hair  which 
adhered  to  the  fresh  3 nail-marks4;  [51]  while  their  attendants, 
wearied  with  importunities  for  another  glimpse,  saw  lovers  con- 
stantly ; while  (the  damsels  themselves)  felt  bashful  just  for  an 
instant  at  the  endearing  words  of  the  house-parrots  who  had 
remembered  5 a hundred  shameless  speeches  uttered  in  the  night6; 
[52]  when  they  (the  damsels)  had  the  beauty,  as  it  were,  of  an 
autumnal  day  with  <clouds  not  adorned  by  sky>,7  for  their  <bosoms 
were  adorned  by  the  marks  of  nails> ; when  they  seemed  nigh 
unto  death  and  had  their  faces  set  toward  the  <city  of  the  Lord 
of  Life>,8  for  their  faces  were  set  toward  their  <lovers’  persons)  ; 
when  they  resembled  a row  of  trees  in  a forest  in  the  spring-tide 
abounding  in  <sap>,  for  they  abounded  in  <anxiety> ; when  they 
were  embraced  by  their  lovers  ; when  there  blew  a wind  that 
rocked  the  filaments  of  the  flowers  and  removed  their  pollen 
from  the  hair  [53]  of  damsels  wearing  delightsomely  tinkling 
jewels,  whilst  it  had  an  abundance  of  expanded  white  lotuses, 
and  caused  pleasure,  and  rejoiced  in  union,  and  rained  down 
a fire  of  chaff,9  as  it  were,  on  lonely 10  girls  lightly  deserted  by 
their  lovers,  and  surrendered  them  wholly  to  the  burning  arrows 
of  love,  and  carried  far  [54]  the  plaint  of  the  Brahminy  duck  11 ; 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘charming.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ rays.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ! fresh.’ 

4 See  Schmidt,  Beitrage  ztir  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  478-496,  Leipzig,  1902. 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ who  made  up  speeches  of  love’s  shamelessness  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ who 
remembered  speeches  of  love’s  shamelessness.’ 

6 The  same  embarrassing  habit  of  the  parrot  is  mentioned  by  Amaru  (see  Bohtlingk, 
Indiscke  Spriiche , 2 ed.,  No.  2710,  St.  Petersburg,  1870-1873). 

7 Their  beauty  was  like  the  dark  massed  clouds. 

8 A euphemism  for  Yama,  the  God  of  Death. 

9 A fire  of  chaff  bemg  proverbially  sudden  and  intense  ; Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text, 
‘powder  of  a fire  of  chaff,’  also  omitting  ‘ rained  down.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ lonely,  deserted.’ 

11  According  to  the  conventions  of  Sanskrit  literature,  two  indiscreet  lovers  were 
transformed  into  Brahminy  ducks  ( Cascara  rutila,  Palias)  and  condemned  to  pass 


58 


vAsavadattA 

then  (Kandarpaketu)  saw  in  a dream  1 a damsel 2 about  eighteen 
years  of  age  with  her  hips  girt  3 round  with  the  bond  of  a girdle4 
which  was  the  gate  5 of  the  city  of  delight  of  her  thighs ; which 
was  the  golden  rampart  of  the  great  treasure-house  of  the  city 
of  joy  6 ; which  was  a trench  for  the  line  of  the  tendril  of  down  7 ; 

each  night  separated  by  a river,  from  whose  opposite  banks  they  continually  call  to 
each  other. 

1 Cf.  Hall,  Introd.,  pp.  30-31,  note;  and,  for  parallels  in  Sanskrit  romances  and 
dramas,  as  well  as  in  The  Thousand  Nights  and  One  Night,  see  Gray,  ‘ Literary 
Studies  on  the  Sanskrit  Novel,’  in  WZKM.  18.  40-41,  50.  For  a more  modem 
parallel,  reference  may  be  made  to  the  Panjabi  legends  of  Princess  Adhik  Anup  Dai, 
daughter  of  Raja  Sirkat  (a  hero  of  the  Raja  Rasalu  cycle),  and  of  Jalali,  the  black- 
smith’s daughter  (Temple,  Legends  of  the  Panjab,  1.  233  ; 2.  168-169,  Bombay,  1884- 
1900).  The  same  motif  is  found  in  early  European  romances,  as  in  the  Artus  de  la 
Bretagne  and  Palmerin  de  Oliva  (Dunlop,  History  of  Prose  Fiction,  1.  258-259,  380, 
London,  1896).  See  also,  for  other  instances  of  dreams  toward  morning,  Harsacarita, 
pp.  136-138,  166,  207,  Bombay  ed.,  1892  (tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  pp.  105-106, 
I32_I33>  177,  London,  1897);  Kddambari,  pp.  135-136,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr. 
Ridding,  p.  57,  London,  1896)  ; Brhatkathasldkasamgraha,  2.  43  (ed.  and  tr.  Lacote, 
Paris,  1908);  Natesa  Sastri,  Dravidian  Nights,  p.  49,  Madras,  1886;  Frere,  Old 
Deccan  Days,  2 ed.,  pp.  68-69,  London,  1870.  In  India,  as  elsewhere  in  the  East, 
dreams  play  an  important  role  in  divination,  and  the  wide  sphere  of  Sanskrit  oneiro- 
mancy  has  been  admirably  discussed  by  Julius  von  Negelein  (Der  Traumschliissel  des 
Jagaddeva,  Giessen,  1912),  on  the  basis  of  a critical  edition  and  translation  of  Jagad- 
deva’s  Svapnacintama>ii.  It  seems  generally  agreed  that  dreams  toward  morning 
come  true  (cf.  the  texts  cited  by  Hall,  loc.  cil.).  According  to  the  Kathasaritsagara, 
46.  1 50,  ‘ the  slow  or  speedy  fruitage  of  it  [a  dream]  depends  on  the  difference  of 
time  [when  it  is  beheld]  ; but  this  dream,  being  seen  at  the  end  of  the  night,  will  give 
a speedy  fulfilment  ’ ; and  it  may  be  added  that  the  Asura  princess  Usa,  to  whom 
Subandhu  himself  alludes  (below,  p.  61),  first  saw  her  future  husband,  Aniruddha, 
in  a dream  (. Kathasaritsagara , 31.  11-32,  tr.  Tawney,  1.  276-277,  Calcutta,  1880). 

2 This  detailed  description  of  the  heroine,  to  which  many  parallels  might  be  cited  in 
Sanskrit  literature,  becomes  of  special  interest  when  compared  with  the  well-known 
representations  of  the  female  form  in  Indian  art,  in  which  the  breasts  and  hips  are  of 
exaggerated  development,  while  the  waist  is  correspondingly  slender.  Vasavadatta  is 
to  be  classed,  from  Subandhu’s  description,  as  a padminl,  having,  among  other  cha- 
racteristics, a moon-like  face,  eyes  with  reddish  corners,  dark,  heavy  hair,  a line  of 
down  on  the  abdomen,  and  a slow  gait ; a taruni,  as  being  between  sixteen  and 
thirty,  and  a devasattva,  as  being  noble  in  conduct  and  wealthy  (Schmidt,  Beitrdge 
zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  220-224,  243—2 5 3 , Leipzig,  1902).  For  similar,  but  far 
briefer,  descriptions  of  Oriental  beauties,  see,  for  example,  Swynnerton,  Romantic 
Tales  from  the  Panjab,  pp.  391-392,  London,  1903  ; The  Thousand  Nights  and  One 
Night,  tr.  Payne,  3.  m-112;  4.  295;  7.  147,  210;  8.  103-104,  London,  1882-1884. 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘marked  out.’  4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘new  girdle.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ garland  of.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  golden  rampart  of  the  abode  of  the  treasure  of 
her  thighs,  Love’s  great  depository.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ zone  of  the  trench  for  the  multiform  tendril  of  down’;  Srirangam  text 
also  adds  ‘ zone.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


59 


which  was  a halo  for  the  disc  of  the  moon  of  her  hips  ; which 
had  a golden  inscription  consisting  of  a line  of  down  that  pro- 
claimed victory  over  the  triple  world  1 ; which  was  the  line  of 
the  moat  of  the  prison  of  the  hearts  of  all  men ; [55]  and  was 
as  the  bar  of  the  chamber  of  a flock  of  birds  which  were  the 
glances  of  the  world.2 

(She  was)  adorned  with  a waist  which  seemed  full  of  sorrow 
through  failure  to  see  her  moon-like  face  that  was  hidden  by  the 
burden  of  her  swelling  breasts  ; which  appeared  to  be  filled  with 
weariness  from  the  oppression  3 of  the  urns  of  her  bosom  and  the 
circlets  of  her  heavy 4 * hips  ; which  had  apparently  conceived  a 
deep  resentment  for  her  massy  buttocks  5 ; [56]  which  seemed 
filled  with  exhaustion  from  the  restraining  hand  6 of  the  Creator 
who  had  compressed  it  exceedingly ; and  which  had  become 
extremely  slender,  as  if  on  account  of  its  anxious  thought : ‘ Sup- 
pose mine  own  breasts  should  fall  on  me  like  projections  from 
a height  ’ ? 

(She  was)  beautified  by  breasts  with  golden  jewels  filled  with 
gems  of  passion  7 ; with  nipples  for  seals ; apparently  nailed  with 
iron  under  the  guise  of  nipples  through  fear  of  falling  because  of 
their  vast  circumference  ; [57]  accumulations  of  loveliness,  as  it 
were,  remaining  after  the  consecration  of  all  her  members ; the 
lotuses,  so  to  say,  of  the  pool  of  the  heart ; possessed  of  the 
beauty  of  a pillow  for  the  cheek  8 of  Love  ; the  fruit  of  the  tendril 
of  the  line  of  down  ; caskets  full  of  the  dust  of  the  lure  that 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ which  had  Love’s  golden  inscription  with  a row  of  letters  that  proclaimed 
his  victory  over  the  wide  triple  world  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

2 She  attracted  and  kept  captive,  like  so  many  birds,  the  glances  of  every  one.  Tel. 
ed.,  ‘ as  the  golden  bar  of  the  chamber  of  the  abode  of  her  thighs  for  birds  which  were 
the  glances  of  the  whole  world  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  the  golden  bar  of  the  chamber 
of  the  abode  of  birds  which  were  the  glances  of  the  whole  world.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  confined  oppression  on  both  sides  from.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘very  heavy.’ 

6  Because  her  waist  shrank  away  from  them. 

6 Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  if  with  pain  produced  by  the  seizure  of  the  hand.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ golden  caskets  filled  with  gems  of  passion.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘a  box  of  the  unguent  of  Love’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘a  pillow  for  the 
disport  of  Love.’ 


6o 


vAsavadattA 


increases  the  pride  of  passion1 2  ; heavy  with  the  fall  of  the  hearts 
of  all  mankind  ; the  fruits  of  the  mighty  tree  of  existence ; the 
product  of  the  great  tree  of  youth  ; two  Brahminy  ducks,  charm- 
ing with  necklaces  of  pearl  for  lotus-filaments  2 ; [58]  fruits  of  the 
tree  of  Prayaga,  which  seemed  to  stand  at  the  juncture  of  the 
line  of  down  with  her  necklace  of  pearl 3 ; the  solitary  dwelling  4 
of  the  God  of  Love  when  overcome  by  weariness  from  the  con- 
quest of  the  triple  world. 

(She  was)  beauteous  with  a bud-like  lower  lip  which  had  the 
glow  of  eventide  in  close  proximity 5 6 to  her  moon-like  face ; 
which  had  what  seemed  to  be  a minium  seal  as  a guard  for  the 
jewels  of  her  teeth  ; [59]  which  was  coloured,  as  it  were,  by  the 
flushing  redness  of  her  heart G ; which  was,  so  to  say,  a fresh  bud  7 * 
of  the  coral-tree  from  Passion’s  sea.  (She  was)  adorned  by  a pair 
of  eyes  which  were  longer  than  a very  tender  screw-pine  blossom  ; 
with  languidly  tremulous  glances ; giving  rise  to  a suspicion  that 
they  were  the  windows  of  wanton  Love  abiding  in  the  inner 
chamber  of  her  heart ; causing  beatitude  by  their  very  passion  ; 
[60]  with  redness  in  their  corners  as  if  for  anger  at  her  ears, 
which  hindered  their  further  extension  s ; seeming  to  whiten  all 
the  world  ; making  the  sky  seem  filled  with  a forest  of  expanded 
lotuses ; pouring  forth,  so  to  say,  thousands  of  oceans  of  milk ; 
seeming  to  surpass  the  loveliness  of  a garland  of  downy  Nepal 
jasmine  and  blue  lotus.9 

(She  was)  beautified  by  a nose  which  was  the  column 10  of  the 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ dust  of  the  proud  nature  of  passion  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ dust  that  increases 
the  pride  of  passion.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ hidden  through  their  greed  of  lotus-filaments  (which 
were)  pearl  necklaces.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  shores  of  Prayaga  in  the  guise  of  the  junction  of  the  Ganges  and 
the  Jumna,  (which  were)  her  pearl  necklace  and  line  of  down  ’ ; similarly  the  Sri- 
rangam text. 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  solitary  rest-house  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  victory  rest-house.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘continual  close  proximity.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ inward  redness.’  7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a bit.’ 

8 The  eyes  of  an  Indian  beauty  are  conventionally  supposed  to  extend  to  her  ears. 

9 Tel.  ed.,  ‘surpassing  a garland  of  blue  lotuses  clinging  to  downy  Nepal  jasmine- 

flowers.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ trunk.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


61 

balance  for  the  jewels  of  her  teeth  1 ; [61]  the  bridge  betwixt  the 
oceans  of  her  eyes 2 ; a wall,  as  it  were,  between  two  elephants 
mad  with  youthful  passion.  (She  was)  adorned  with  delicate 
brows  which  were  clusters  of  bees  about  her  blue-lotus  eyes  3 ; 
portals  4 5 of  her  face  that  formed  the  abode  of  Love  ; the  shores  6 
of  Passion’s  sea  ; wantoning  in  youthful  dancing.  She  possessed, 
as  it  were,  the  loveliness  of  the  sky  in  the  rainy  season  [62]  with 
<clouds>  swelling  with  beauty,  for  her  <breasts>  swelled  with 
beauty.® 

Like  one 7 who  has  gained  the  cry  of  Victory  she  stood  on 
the  tip  of  a trembling  <balance>,8  for  she  had  trembling  <anklets> ; 
she  was  like  Suyodhana’s  valour  while  his  eyes  rested  on  (Kama), 
for  her  eyes  extended  to  her  <ears>  ; she  seemed  to  have  the 
sportiveness  of  the  Dwarf9  in  exhibiting  his  destruction  of  Bali>,10 
for  she  revealed  her  <furrowed  folds) ; she  was  like  the  station  of 
the  sun  in  Scorpio  <after  traversing  Virgo  and  Libra),  for  she 
transcended  comparison  with  other  damsels) ; [63]  she  rejoiced 
in  <unblemished  beauty)  as  Usa  rejoiced  at  the  sight  of  (Anirud- 
dha) 11  ; she  had  the  Cbeauty  of  lovely  eyes)  as  SacI  delighted 
in  gazing  on  Indra’s  pleasure  groves) ; she  had,  as  it  were,  the 
sportful  dancing  of  Siva  with  his  <quivering  serpent),  for  she  had 
beautiful  <eyes  and  ears)  ; she  had  lofty  dark  (nipples)  as  a forest 12 
has  lofty  dark  (bread-fruit  trees) ; [64]  she  was  adorned  with  a 

1 Compare  the  Euphuistic  passage  in  Ben  Jonson’s  Cynthia's  Revels,  5.2:“  You 
that  tell  your  mistress,  her  beauty  is  all  composed  of  theft ; her  hair  stole  from  Apollo’s 
goldy-locks;  her  white  and  red,  lilies  and  roses  stolen  out  of  paradise  ; her  eyes  two 
stars,  plucked  from  the  sky  ; her  nose  the  gnomon  of  Love’s  dial,  that  tells  you  how 
the  clock  of  your  heart  goes ; and  for  her  other  parts,  as  you  cannot  reckon  them,  they 
are  so  many  ; so  you  cannot  recount  them,  they  are  so  manifest.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  bridge,  as  it  were,  betwixt  the  ambrosial  oceans 
of  her  eyes.’ 

3 The  bees  being  extremely  fond  of  the  lotus. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘garlands  of  the  portals.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ currents.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘<clouds  swelling  with  rain>’  and  ‘ <breasts  shining 

with  pearl  necklaces).’  7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ like  a king.’ 

8 This  seems  to  be  introduced  merely  for  the  sake  of  the  pun  on  tulakoti. 

9 Visnu.  10  Cf.  Ramayana,  i.  29  ; Bhagavatapurana,  S.  21-23. 

11  Cf.  Harivamsa,  173-186;  Kathasaritsagara,  6.  31. 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  Vindhya  forest.’ 


6 2 


vAsavadatta 


(beautiful  throat  and  with  armlets>  as  the  army  of  monkeys  was 
adorned  by  (Sugrlva  and  AiigadaX 

She  seemed  to  be  made  of  planets  1 : of  the  <Sun>,  for  she  had  a 
<shining>  ornament ; of  the  <Moon>,  for  she  had  a <beautiful>  round 
face  2 ; of  <Mars>,  for  she  had  a <rosy>  bud-like  3 lower  lip ; of 
(Mercury),  for  she  had  a (lovely)  appearance  ; of  (Jupiter),  for  she 
had  (heavy)  round  hips  ; of  (Venus),  for  she  had  (wide-open)  lotus 
eyes  4 5 ; of  (Saturn),  for  she  had  (slow-moving)  steps  ; of  (Rahu), 
for  she  had  (dark)  heavy  hair.6 

She  was  a picture,  as  it  were,  on  the  wall  of  life  6 ; [65]  the 
place  of  assembly,  so  to  say,  of  the  loveliness  of  the  triple  world  ; 
apparently  the  perfect  elixir  for  the  Great  Ascetic7  in  his  youth  8; 
seemingly  the  place  of  Passion’s  fancy  ; the  repository,  so  it  would 
seem,  of  delight ; [66]  the  flag  of  conquest  over  the  threefold 
earth,9  as  it  were,  of  the  God  of  the  Dolphin  Banner  10  ; evidently 
the  manifestation  of  intellect 11 ; the  conqueror,  it  would  seem,  of 
Passion  12  ; a powder,  so  to  say,  to  numb  the  senses 13  ; a power, 
one  would  think,  to  bewilder  Love  ; apparently  the  joyous  abode 
of  beauty  ; the  sole  sanctuary,  as  it  were,  of  good  fortune 14 *  ; seem- 
ingly the  place  where  loveliness  had  its  origin  16 ; [67]  wellnigh 
a perfect  seduction  of  the  mind  16  ; almost  a blind 17  of  the  juggler 

1 A similar  thought  is  expressed  by  Bhartrhari  (Bohtlingk,  Indische  Spriiche , 2 ed., 
No.  2169,  St.  Petersburg,  1870-1873).  In  like  fashion  a girl  is  described  as  made  of 
flowers  in  Harsacarita,  p.  38,  Bombay  ed.,  1892  (tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  p.  263, 
London,  1897). 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ for  she  had  a smile  of  <white  beauty).’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ bud-like.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  insert,  transferring  this  further  down,  ‘ of  <Venus>, 
for  she  had  a (white)  pearl  necklace.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ like  a picture  on  the  life-wall  of  the  theatre  of  the 

triple  world.’  7 Siva.  8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  perfect  elixir  of  youth.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ over  the  threefold  earth.’ 

10  Kama.  11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit. 

12  TeL  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘the  battle-ground,  as  it  were,  of  Love.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  confusion,  so  to  say,  of  all  the  senses.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.,  ‘good  fortune’s  birth-hall,  as  it  were,  of  friends’  disport.’ 

16  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ rendezvous.’ 

18  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ wellnigh  a perfect  spell  for  the  winning  of  love’ 

(Srirangam  text,  ‘ mind  ’). 

17  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ almost  a mighty  drug  to  bind  the  eyes.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE  63 

Love  ; a production  of  the  Creator,  so  to  say,  for  the  enchantment 
of  the  triple  world. 

Then,  while  he  drank  her  in,  as  it  were,  with  eyes  dilated  with 
joy,  sleep,  which  he  had  long  served,  became  jealous 1 and  de- 
serted him.  [68]  But  when  he  awoke,  he  was  unable  to  sustain 
himself,  being  drowned,  so  to  speak,  in  a sea  of  poison,  and  as  if 
submerged  in  the  words  of  his  enemies.  Thus  then,  for  an  instant, 
he  embraced  the  sky,  and  with  outstretched  arms  2 cried  to  his 
beloved,  as  if  she  were  painted  in  the  heavens,3  graven  on  his 
eye,  and  carven  on  his  heart : ‘ O,  dearest  one,  come ! come ! 
where  dost  thou  go  ’ 4 ? Then  in  that  very  place  he  passed  the 
day  on  his  bed,  with  his  eyes  closed,5  with  all  his  attendants 
barred  out,  with  the  doors  shut,  [69]  and  refusing  all  enjoyment 
of  food,6  betel,  and  the  like.  Thus,  too,7  he  spent  the  night  as 
well  with  longings  for  the  coming  of  the  dream. 

Then  his  confidential  friend,  named  Makaranda,  somehow 
gained  entrance  8 and  thus  addressed  Kandarpaketu,  who  was 
overwhelmed  with  the  wounds  of  the  arrows  of  Love  : ‘ My  friend, 
[70]  why  dost  thou  take  to  this  unwonted  course,  which  is  unbe- 
coming to  a man  of  honour  ? When  they  behold  this  conduct 
of  thine,  the  good  are  swayed  by  perplexity,  while  the  wicked,  on 
the  other  hand,  make  it  out  to  be  undesirable  and  indecorous  9 ; 
for  the  heart  of  the  evil  man  finds  its  highest  delight  centred  in 
bringing  to  light  what  is  undesirable.  Who,  pray,  can  discern 
the  true  character  of  such  an  one  ? 

1 Thus,  even  though  a <BhIma>,  he  is  «no  foe  of  Baka»,10  for  he 

1 In  like  manner  life  becomes  jealous  of  Maha^veta  because  of  her  love  for  Pundarika 
in  the  Kadambari,  p.  325,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr.  Ridding,  p.  128,  London,  1896). 

2 Tel.  ed.,  * stretching  out  his  arms  for  an  instant  to  the  sky  to  embrace  it  ’ ; 
Srirangam  text,  4 blindly  stretching  out  his  arms  to  the  sky  to  embrace  it.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  4 in  the  heavens  and  its  subdivisions.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ O,  dearest  one,  go  not ! go  not  ’! 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ clinging  to  his  couch.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  4 food.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  4 somehow  or  other.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  4 gained  entrance  and  a sight  (of  Kandarpaketu).’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  4 pursue  thy  (Srirangam  text,  4 this  ’)  indecorous  and 

undesirable  conrse.’ 

10  See  Mahabharata,  1.  159-166. 


64 


vAsavadattA 


is  <horrible>  and  a «foe  of  them  that  praise  him»  ; though  a <fire>, 
he  is  a «wind»,  for  he  is  a <devourer  of  his  own  place  of  refuge) 
and  a «dog  in  his  mother))  1 ; [71]  though  very  <pungent>,  he  is  of 
«fine  flavour)),  for  he  is  very  <cruel>  and  «utterly  insipid)) ; he 
does  not  abandon  his  <bitterness>,  though  «flattered  by  clasped 
hands  and  prostration  at  his  feet»,2even  as  mustard-oil  abandons 
not  its  <sharpness>,  though  «caressed  with  both  hands  and  held 
to  the  head)) ; he  is  <delightful  on  account  of  his  freedom  from 
faults)  (at  first),  but  afterwards  is  unpleasant  and  «cruel»  even  as 
the  fruit  of  the  palmyra-palm  tastes  <pleasant  at  first),  but  is  dis- 
agreeable and  «sharp»  at  the  last ; he,  when  <deserted>,  wrinkles 
his  brow  even  as  the  dust  of  the  feet,  when  <shaken  off),  discolours 
the  head. 

‘ He  (confirms  his  folly)  in  proportion  as  he  is  ((humoured!) 
even  as  the  fruit  of  the  poison-tree  (strengthens  madness)  in  pro- 
portion as  it  is  «honoured» ; [72]  he  has  no  lack  of  (enemies) 
with  his  ((bad  conduct))  even  as  there  is  no  dearth  of  (water)  in 
«low  grounds3;  he  brings  distress  to  the  (good)  with  his  ((great 
jealousy))  even  as  a summer  day  brings  distress  to  the  (flowers) 
with  its  <Xswarms  of  gnats)) ; he  is  cunning  in  binding  (sins) 
together  and  eager  to  ((destroy  the  works  of  all  men))  even  as  the 
darkness  is  cunning  in  binding  (night)  together  and  eager  for 
<Ksunset». 

[73]  ‘ Though  (Siva),  he  is  ((Visnu»,  for  he  is  a (prince)  of 
((unseemly  conduct))4  ; he  is  (deaf)  and  ((praises  not  his  subjects)) 
even  as  Indra’s  horse  (cried  aloud)  and  ((exulted  in  his  birth  from 
the  ocean))  ; he  agitates  the  heart  of  a good  man,  even  though  he 
is  (disturbed)  and  shows  ((affection!) , like  as  the  churning-stick 
agitates  the  heart  of  the  cream,  even  though  it  is  (separated)  and 

1 A false  etymological  pun  on  Matarisvan,  an  obscure  Vedic  deity  (on  whom  see 
Macdonell,  Vedic  Mythology,  pp.  71-72,  Strassburg,  1897;  Hillebrandt,  Vedische 
Mythologie , 2.  149-153,  Breslau,  1899;  and  the  authorities  there  cited).  The  name 
probably  means  ‘having  water  as  his  mother’  (Fay , JAOS.  16.  clxxii-clxxiii),  or,  less 
plausibly,  ‘materiae  puer  ’ (Fay,  KZ.  45.  J 34-135). 

2 Literally,  ‘sustained  by  the  head  ^of  his  suppliant).’  3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘he  has  no 

lack  of  <enemies>  even  as  a dearth  of  <water>  is  not  produced  by  a river  in  low  ground.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ he  has  (unseemly  conduct)  even  as  Rudra  has 
(abnormal  eyes) ; he  is  (deceitful)  even  as  Visnu  (holds  a disc).’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


65 


shows  rebutter)*1 ; [74]  he  is  noisy  with  <self-praise>  and  garru- 
lous of  his  wanderings  in  the  world»  even  as  an  offering  to  the 
Yaksas  is  noisy  with  <crows>  and  «bears  evidence  of  wandering 
dogs»2;  his  visage  is  distorted  from  <entire  lack  of  self-control) 
and  his  «generosity»  is  suppressed  even  as  a must  elephant 3 
fixes  his  distorted  visage  on  <his  female)  and  suppresses  his 
«ichor» ; he  is  <not  alarmed  by  fear  of  God)  even  as  a bull  is 
<wearied  from  union  with  the  cow). 

* He  is  <miserable  through  his  disgrace  of  his  family)  and  is 
devoted  to  «evil  ways»4  even  as  a paramour  is  distressed  by  an 
error  in  his  name)  and  is  devoted  to  the  <Sway  of  the  fair» ; [7 5] 
he  causes  slowness  in  <softly  modulated  and  excellent)  speech 
even  as  the  disease  of  indigestion 5 causes  slowness  in  <body> 
(and)  speech  ; he  is  devoted  to  the  <breaking  of  agreements)  and 
a friend  of  the  «foes  of  his  lord»  even  as  a jackal  is  devoted  to 
the  <flesh  of  a corpse)  and  delights  in  the  <Knight>» ; [76]  <the 
sight  of  him  causes  distress  to  his  kindred)  even  as  a corpse  is 
deprived  of  the  use  of  its  eyes) ; he  destroys  <good  fortune)  even 
as  the  axe  cuts  the  <sandal-wood> ; he  destroys  his  family)  and 
cuts  down  <Kmen  gifted  with  patience»  even  as  the  spade  <cleaves 
the  earth)  and  cuts  down  the  «creatures  that  share  in  the  soil»6; 
[77]  he  engages  in  <low  actions)  even  as  a dog  engaged  in 
<venereal  acts)  makes  good  folk  ashamed  ; he,  for  all  his  <charms 
of  hair  and  face),  has  no  pleasure  in  his  «lute,  skilful  though 
he  is»  like  as  a must  elephant  delights  in  the  forest),  yet  has 
no  pleasure  in  the  «spreading  greensward,  even  though  he 
traverses  it».7 

1 Tel.  ed.,  not  expressing  1 of  a good  man,’  has  ‘ shows  continually.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * he  (wanders  about  the  world>  even  as  an  offering  to 
the  Yaksas  has  (flocks  of  crows),’  etc. 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  an  elephant.’ 

4 If  vamadhvan  be  synonymous  with  vamacara,  this  may  be  an  allusion  to  the 

infamous  ‘left  hand’  Tantra-worship  (Hopkins,  Religions  of  India,  pp.  490-492, 
Boston,  1895). 

6 See  Jolly,  Medicin , p.  77,  Strassburg,  1901. 

* Trees,  according  to  the  commentator  £ivarama. 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ he  has  no  pleasure  in  his  (goodly  youth)’  ( yavasam  + san  = sanivayasam) ; 
Srirangam  text,  ‘ he  rejoices  not  in  (his  companions  of  equal  age)  even  as  the  elephant 
(continually)  rejoices  not,  . . .’  {yavasam  + sa—savayasam). 

F 


66 


vAsavadattA 


[78]  ‘ The  shoots  of  evil  vices  are  born  without  seed  and  grow 
without  a stock,  and  hard  they  are  to  uproot ; if  a particle  of 
iniquity  enters  into  the  heart  of  the  wicked,  it  is  a terrible  thing. 
But  into  the  heart  of  the  good  it  enters  not ; and  if  at  any  time 
it  does  enter,  [79]  it  is  like  quicksilver,  unstable  for  an  instant ; 
the  virtuous,  even  as  deer,  are  obedient  to  the  voice  of  one 1 who 
knows  their  pleasure  ; persons  like  thee  easily  capture  the  heart 
of  a friend  2 as  do  the  wagtails  of  the  autumn-tide ; and  the  wise  3 
give  no  unseemly  counsel,  while  the  friendship  of  the  foolish  is 
thrown  on  the  side  of  profit.  [80]  And  likewise,4  when  milk, 
fancying  5 that  “ water  is  as  milk  because  of  its  sweetness,  cool- 
ness, purity,  and  healing  of  distress,”  enters  into  friendship  (with 
water),  destruction  is  wrought  by  water  itself,  when  it  reflects 
that  “ ruin  has  come  in  times  gone  by  through  the  decoction  of 
me  myself,  increased  by  union  with  that  (milk).”  6 This  conduct 
is,  therefore,  extraordinary ; follow  the  course,  my  friend,7  which 
is  customary  among  the  upright;  [81]  the  noble  themselves  go 
utterly  astray  by  mistaking  their  direction.’  8 

When  he  (Makaranda)  had  said  this,9  and  more  to  the  same 
effect,  Kandarpaketu,  dominated  by  the  wounds  of  many 10  arrows 

1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ take  refuge  with  one  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  virtuous  are  not,  like  deer, 
obedient  to  a petty  pleasure.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘persons  like  thee  take  away  pleasure,  as  do  the  wagtails’;  Srirangam 

text,  ‘ persons  like  thee  obtain  the  weal  of  a host  of  friends.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  friendly-minded.’  4 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ and  likewise.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ from  the  identity  of  sound.’ 

8  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ by  water,  thinking  that  “ ruin  has  come  upon  me  aforetime  in  the 
decoction  of  milk,  which  had  gained  increase  from  union  with  myself”  ’ ; similarly 
the  Srirangam  text.  The  close  union  of  mingled  water  and  milk  becomes,  in  Sanskrit 
literature,  a type  of  the  truest  and  most  altruistic  friendship  (cf.  Bohtlingk,  Indische 
Spriiche,  2 ed.,  Nos.  2024,  2026,  St.  Petersburg,  1870-1873).  The  passage  may,  perhaps, 
be  partially  elucidated  by  a stanza  from  Bhartrhari  {ib.  No.  2026),  thus  rendered  by 
Tawney  ( Two  Centuries  of  Bhartrihari,  pp.  30-31,  Calcutta,  1877): 

‘ Milk  to  the  water  with  it  mixed  its  native  virtues  gave, 

Which,  pitying  sore  its  tortured  friend,  rushed  on  a flaming  grave ; 

The  milk,  unwilling  to  be  left,  must  share  its  fellow’s  fate, — 

True  friendship  envy  cannot  reach,  nor  fiery  pains  abate  ’ ! 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ my  friend.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘the  good,  though  going  astray  by  mistaking  their 
direction,  again  regain  the  right  path.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘his  dear  friend,  Makaranda,  having  said,’  etc. 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ many.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


67 


of  Love,  somehow  said  slowly : ‘ Good  friend,  my  mind 1 is  con- 
fused by  a <hundred  afflictions)  as  Diti  was  confused  by  <Indra>.2 
This  is  no  time  for  advice ; my  limbs  seem  to  be  on  fire ; [82] 
my  faculties  are  boiling,  so  to  speak ; my  vitals  feel  as  if  burst- 
ing 3 ; my  breath  is  almost  leaving  me ; my  senses  are  wellnigh 
eradicated ; and  my  memory  is  destroyed.4  Now,  therefore,  if 
thou  didst  share  the  sorrows  and  joys  of  our  playing  together  in 
the  dust,5  then  follow  me.’  So  speaking  he  went  forth  from  the 
city  with  him,  unnoticed  by  his  retinue. 

Straightway,  after  going  a distance  of  several  hundred  nalvas ,6 
a great  mountain,7  called  Vindhya,  was  seen  with  its  thousand 
peaks  bowed  down  to  earth,8  restrained  by  Agastya’s  word 9 ; 
[83]  with  its  sides 10  thronged  with  hundreds  of  savages  eager  to 
slaughter  hundreds  of  female  yaks  who  had  been  delighted  by 
hearing  the  songs  of  pairs  of  Vidyadharas  (then)  slumbering  peace- 
fully 11  in  the  bowers  within  its  caves  ; with  its  rocky  sides  cooled 
by  breezes  bearing  the  perfume  of  trickling  yellow  sandal-wood  12 13 
broken  and  dragged  down  by  the  trunks  of  the  elephants  on  its 
ridges 13 ; [84]  with  the  monkeys 14  eager  to  lick  their  paws  wet 
with  the  sap  of  the  palmyra-palm  fruit  which  had  been  broken 
by  its  exceedingly  long  fall ; with  its  borders  fragrant  with  the 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  mind  of  folk  like  ns.’ 

2 Cf.  Ramayana , i.  46.  3 Tel.  ed.  omits  this  clause. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ is,  as  it  were,  destroyed.’ 

6 Alluding  to  their  childhood  days  as  playmates.  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text, 
‘ Now  this  is  enough  of  this  talk.  If  thou  didst  share  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  our 

laying  in  the  dust,  then  let  it  be  come  together  with  me.’ 

8 A nalva  is  equivalent  to  400  cubits.  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ then,  having  gone  with  him 
a journey  measured  by  several  hundred  nalvas  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ great.’  With  this  description  of  the  Vindhya 
Cartellieri  (‘Subandhu  and  Bana,’  in  WZKM.  1.  132)  compares  that  given  by  the 
KadambarT,  pp.  38-43,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr.  Ridding,  pp.  16-18,  London,  1896). 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ to  the  chasms  of  the  earth.’ 

9 Cf.  Mahabharata , 3.  103-104. 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘with  its  sloping  sides  thronged  with  hosts  of  savages 
eager  to  slaughter  herds  of  female  yaks.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ peacefully,’  the  latter  having  ‘ awakened  from 
sleep.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘sandal-wood  sap.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘elephants  come  to  its  sloping  ridges.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  hosts  of  monkeys.' 


68 


vAsavadatta 


perfume  of  the  juice  of  various  fruits  sipped  again  and  again1  by 
pairs  of  chickores  dwelling  near  its  overhanging  cascades  ; [85] 
seeming  to  sustain  a host  of  stars  clinging  to  its  summit  since  its 
peak  was  speckled  by  pearls2  fallen  from  the  temples  of  must 
elephants  which  had  been  cloven  by  the  edges  of  the  sharp  claws 
of  thousands  of  bold  lions. 

The  shadow  of  its  foot  was  haunted  by  <bears,  gayals,  griffins, 
lions,  and  lotuses>  as  Sugriva  [86]  had  the  shadow  of  his  feet 
honoured  by  (Rksa,3  Gavaya,  Sarabha,  Kesari,  and  Kumuda>4 *: 
its  <peace  was  disturbed  by  the  exhalations  of  elephants)  as  the 
Lord  of  Cattle 6 has  his  Cashes  disturbed  by  the  hissing  of  his 
serpent);  it  had  a (chaplet  of  beautiful  forests)  as  Janardana6 
wears  (beautiful  sylvan  garlands) ; it  had  <dita- bark  and  syandana- 
trees)  as  the  God  of  a Thousand  Rays  7 has  a (chariot  with  seven 
steeds);  [87]  it  was  (full  of  caverns  and  infested  with  jackals)  as 
Siva  had  (Kartikeya  near  him  and  was  attended  by  ParvatD ; it 
was  full  of  (jungles  and  wastes  and  was  covered  with  white  thorn- 
apples)  as  a paramour  is  filled  with  (petulance  and  passion  for 
his  mistress  and  is  amorous)  ; it  had  (Arabian  jasmine-plants  and 
Arjuna- trees)  as  Srlparvata  has  the  (Mallikarjuneto  near  it ; [88] 
it  had  (Italian  panic  and  bind-weed)  as  Naravahanadatta  was  the 
(husband  of  Priyangusyama) 8 ; it  (formed  a place  for  emblic 
myrobalan-trees)  as  a child  is  (held  by  its  nurse) ; it  had  a series 
of  forests 9 rosy  with  the  (reddish  lustre  of  ruddle)  10  as  the  dawn 
of  day  makes  the  series  of  forests9  rosy  with  the  (radiance  of 
the  mountain-born  Aruna) ; it  was  impenetrable  on  account  of 
(many  creeping  plants)  as  the  dark  lunar  fortnight  is  impene- 


1 Tel.  ed.  omits  * again  and  again.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ massy  pearls.’ 

3 Jambavat,  the  king  of  the  bears. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘<Kumuda  and  Panasa>  . . . <lotuses  and  jack-trees>.’ 

6 Siva. 

0 Visnn.  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ it  had  a <chaplet  of  magnificent  forests),  as  Janardana  wears 
<full-blown  sylvan  garlands).’ 

7 Surya. 

8 See  Lacote,  Essai  sur  Gunadhya  el  la  Brhatkatha,  pp.  213,  228,  Paris,  1908. 

s Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ leafy  forests.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ <ruddle)  . . . <mountain-born>.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


69 


trable  on  account  of  its  <blackness> ; it  had  gifts  of  a <hundred 
crores)  as  Karna  had  the  gift  of  <Indra’s  bolt> ; [89]  it  was 
covered  with  <tail  feathers  moulted  by  peacocks)  as  Bhlsma  was 
covered  1 with  <crescent-headed  arrows) ; it  was  filled  with  ele- 
phants and  was  fragrant  from  the  perfume  of  its  jungles)  as  the 
Kamasutra  was  written  by  <Mallanaga  and  contains  the  delight 
and  enjoyment  of  mistresses);  it  was  a refuge  for  the  race  of 
<deer>  as  Hiranyakasipu  was  a refuge  for  the  race  of  <Sambara>.2 

Because  of  the  guise  of  its  ruddle  it  seemed  to  have  been 
employed  by  Aruna  to  trace  the  path  of  the  chariot  of  the 
sun  3 ; [90]  it  watched,  as  it  were,  the  journey  of  Agastya  with 
eyes  dilated  because  the  sun  and  moon  had  come  upon  its 
summit ; on  account  of  the  old  sloughs  of  snakes  it  seemed  to 
have  a mass  of  entrails  hanging  out 4 ; as  Kumbhakarna  had 
a host  of  monkeys  come  within  his  <teeth>,5  it  had  a host  of 
monkeys  come  upon  its  <summit> ; [91]  it  had  bowers  of  screw- 
pines  for  the  rendezvous  of  the  assembled  nymphs  of  Sacl’s  Lord 
who  marked  their  pathway  with  a series  of  footprints  dyed  with 
red  henna. 

Though  of  <no  family),  it  was  adorned  by  a «noble  ancestry», 
for  it  did  <not  cling  to  the  ground)  and  it  was  «adorned  with 
beautiful  bamboos» ; though  it  was  Evidently  safe),  it  yielded 
the  «fruit  of  death)),  for  it  had  <Jiara- nut  trees)  and  yielded 
^plantains)) ; though  <measured>,  it  was  «measureless»,  for  it 
had  <plateaus>  and  was  immeasurable))  ; [92]  though  <noisy>, 
it  was  «silent)>,  for  it  had  a <river>  and  was  «still»;  though 
a <BhIma>,  it  was  a friend  of  «Klcaka»,  for  it  was  <terrible>  and 
a friend  of  «reeds» ; though  it  hid  its  <garments),  it  had  brilliant 
«raiment)>,  for  it  hid  the  <sky>  and  had  brilliant  «sunbeams». 

[93]  It  showed,  moreover,6  a Cmalady  of  many  of  its  com- 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ had  his  body  covered.’  Cf.  Hopkins,  ‘Position  of 
the  Ruling  Caste  in  Ancient  India,’  in  JAOS.  13.  278. 

2 Cf.  Visnupurana,  1.  19;  5.  27. 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 the  sun  on  high.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ tubular  entrails  hanging  out  of  chasms  cleft  by  thunderbolts’ ; similarly 
the  Srirangam  text. 

5 Cf.  Ramayana,  6.  67. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ like  a sick  man.’ 


70 


vAsavadattA 


ponents)  as  if  by  a «great  abdominal  swelling)),1  for  it  indicated 
a <change  of  many  metals)  by  its  «thick  bushes)) ; as  a good 
man  shows  his  <greatness>  by  «habits  of  mercy)),  it  showed  its 
doftiness)  by  the  «course  of  the  planets  on  its  summit)). 

As  the  Mlmamsa  and  Nyaya  philosophies  conceal  the  views 
of  the  <Digambara  Jains),  it  concealed  the  view  of  the  (quarters 
of  heaven  and  of  the  sky).  It  also  had  its  vicinage  adorned  with 
pools  which  were  delightful  on  account  of  the  appearance  of  the 
(blue  lotus),2  as  the  Harivamsa  is  delightful  on  account  of  the 
appearance  of  (Puskara)  ; [94]  that  were  thronged  with  (pairs  of 
fishes  and  with  crabs)  as  the  Zodiac  has  (Pisces,  Gemini,  and 
Cancer) 3 ; and  that  had  hosts  of  (birds,  elephants,  galangal, 
and  young  medlar-trees)  as  the  parts  of  the  day  have  the  host  of 
(Sakuni,  Naga,  Bhadra,  and  Valava).4  It  also  showed  manifold 
(metrical)  charms  with  <<C kusumavicitras,  vamsapatrapatitas , suku- 
maralalitas , puspitagras,  sikharinls , praharsims,  and  latas »,5 
since  it  showed  manifold  charms  (produced)  through  its  <(creepers, 
lovely  on  account  of  their  flowers,  which  had  fallen  on  the 
bamboo  leaves,  tender  in  their  grace,  tipped  with  blossoms, 
crested,  and  charming)). 

[95]  As  if  by  a very  dear  mistress  with  outstretched  wavy 
arms,  it  was  embraced,  furthermore,  by  the  Reva,  whose  waters 
were  perfumed  by  the  abundance  of  the  drops  of  liquid  which  had 
fallen  from  the  fragments  6 of  fullblown  lotuses  shaken  by  many 
monstrous  tails  of  bhahkuta- fish 7 that  had  been  terrified  by  the 
notes,  indistinct  for  passion,  of  geese  and  herons  ; whose  waters 


1 See  Jolly,  Medicin,  pp.  79-80,  Strassburg,  1901. 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ <the  blue  lotus  and  the  bedda- nut  tree>,  as  the 
Harivamia  is  delightful  on  account  of  the  appearance  of  <Visnu>.’ 

3 Tel.  ed  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ thronged  with  pairs  of  <fishes,  dolphins,  and  crabs), 
as  the  Zodiac  has  <Pisces,  Capricorn,  Cancer,  and  Gemini).’ 

4 See  Ginzel,  Handbuch  der  mathematischen  und  technischen  Chronologic,  x.  359— 

361,  Leipzig,  1906. 

6 See  Weber,  Ueber  die  Metrik  der  Inder , pp.  380,  394,  366,  361-362,  393,  384, 
Berlin,  1863;  Colebrooke,  Miscellaneous  Essays , 2.  144,  London,  1873.  Srirangam 
text,  like  Hall’s  manuscript  D and  the  commentator,  adds  ‘ like  the  Chandoviciti' 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ fallen  from  masses  of  lotuses.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ by  monstrous  jaws  of  utkuta- fish  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text,  though 
the  latter  has  * bhakiita- fish.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


7i 


had  been  drunk  up  by  the  circling  navels  of  beauties  of  Pulinda 
kings  at  their  evening  ablutions 1 ; [96]  whose  banks  resounded 
with  the  din  of  flamingoes  noisy  with  passion 1  2 ; whose  waters 
were  curdled  with  drops  of  the  streams  of  ichor  exuded  from  the 
temple  lobes  of  must  elephants  near  its  banks  3 ; with  the  gardens 
on  its  shores  witnesses  to  the  triturition  of  the  tremulous  sport  of 
pairs  of  young  deities  delightfully  ensconced  on  the  sand  formed 
by  the  abundant  dust  fallen  from  the  forests  of  screw-pines  that 
grew  along  its  banks ; [97]  in  whose  waters  dove  the  nymphs 
who  dwelt  in  bowers  within  bits  of  rose-apple  that  had  fallen 
near  the  forests  4 on  its  banks  ; whose  environs  5 were  lauded  by 
pairs  of  divinities  drawn  by  curiosity  at  the  sound  of  the  sweet, 
low  notes  of  the  many  gallinules  that  nestled  in  the  creepers  of 
chair-bottom  cane  growing  on  its  shores6;  [98]  whose  banks 
were  strident  with  the  screams7  of  multitudes  of  wild  cocks 
whose  nests  thronged  the  bowers  of  reeds 8 that  had  sprung  up 
near  its  shores  ; whose  soft  banks  were  trodden  by  the  water 
nymphs 9 ; whose  tremulous  10  waves  were  rippled  by  the  breezes 
from  the  gardens  ; [99]  whose  demi-carp  were  watched  by  female 
herons 11  which  had  entered  the  numerous  bowers  of  reeds  ; whose 
reed-forests12  were  terrible  from  supporting  paddy  birds  eager 
for  the  shoals  of  small  fish  ; the  water  near  whose  bank  was 
coloured  by  the  shoals  of  exceedingly  quick  rajilas  fleeing  from 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ concealed  in  the  circles  of  the  deep  navels  of  beauties  of  Pulinda  kings 
bathing  at  eventide  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

2 This  clause  is  omitted  by  Tel.  ed. 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ abundance  of  drops  . . . falling  from  the  rounded  frontal  lobes  of  the 
huge  must  elephants  standing  near  its  banks  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ must  elephants  standing 
near  the  river-banks.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ lotuses  fallen  in  the  cavities  on  its  banks.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 delightsomeness.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ sound  of  the  abundant  amorous  sport  of  the  gallinules  that  nestled  in  the 
forests  of  chair-bottom  cane.’ 

I Srirangam  text,  ‘ made  by.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ screams  of  wild  cocks  thronging  the  bowers  of  masses  of  reeds.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ whose  very  soft  sands  were  trodden  by  water  nymphs 
eager  to  enjoy  the  sunshine.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ very  tremulous.’ 

II  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ evil  female  herons.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 the  tendrils  of  whose  reed-forests.’ 


72 


vAsavadattA 


the  sight  of  the  uddandapalas  who  moved  within  the  circles  of  its 
rippling  1 waves  ; [ioo]  whose  shores  2 were  dug  up  by  hundreds  3 
of  barbarians  whose  greed  for  getting  treasure  had  been  aroused 
by  the  sight  of  the  mating  of  pairs  of  wagtails. 

[ioi]  As  if  angry,  it  displayed  a distortion  of  its  face>,  for  it 
displayed  an  <outlet  and  waves>;  drunk,  so  to  say,  it  had  a 
<tottering  gait>,  for  it  had  a <winding  current)  ; it  was  the  beauty 
of  the  dawn,  as  it  were,  that  gives  <time>  increase,  for  it  gave  its 
<shores>  increase ; it  was  like  unto  the  place  of  combat  of  the 
Bharatas  with  <quivering  corpses),  for  it  had  dancing  waters) ; it 
was,  one  might  fancy,  the  rainy  season  with  <peacocks  appearing 
but  serpents  hidden),  for  its  <pools  were  hid  by  expanded 
lotuses) ; [102]  it  seemed  to  be  one  who  courts  a <king>  out  of 
desire  for  gain,4  for  it  courted  the  <mountain>.  And  also — 

Even  to-day  it  seems  to  call  on  him  5 
Who  from  a jar  was  born,  while  on  its  heights 
Loud  scream  the  elephants,  with  temples  rent 
By  tawny  lions’  fearsome  claws  and  keen. 

Then  said  Makaranda : 

[103]  ‘ Behold  this  lion  with  his  sinewy  frame, 

Now  rising  high  behind  and  now  before6; 

His  curving  tail  along  his  arched  back. 

His  cavernous  mouth,  and  white-tipped  fangs  agleam  ; 
Yea,  and  his  ears  erect,7  the  while  he  springs 
Upon  the  lordly  king  of  elephants.8 

‘And  furthermore — 

‘ His  ears  erect,9  in  sudden  onslaught  skilled, 

His  mane  astart,  and  jaws  all  hideous,10 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit. 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ uneven  shores.’  3 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ hundreds.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ it  seemed  an  amorous  woman  <courting  a king>.’ 

B Agastya;  cf.  Rarnayana,  7.  57. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  interchange  the  order  of  the  epithets. 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ neck  erect.’ 

8 The  literal  translation  of  this  stanza  is  given  above,  Introduction,  p.  26. 

3 Srirangam  text,  ‘neck  erect’  10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘cavernous.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


73 


His  stiffened  tail  high-waving  in  the  breeze — 

No  artist  could  portray  this  awful  beast 
[104]  What  time  he  croucheth  on  the  mighty  brow 
Of  some  great  elephant,  shrill  trumpeting 
Adown  the  lonely  dells  of  Vindhya’s  mount.’ 

Meanwhile,  in  the  cool  shade  of  a rose-apple  tree 1 that  seemed 
a paramour  conspicuous  on  account  of  <aphrodisiacs>,  since  it  was 
conspicuous  on  account  of  its  <mainas>,2  he  (Kandarpaketu)  rested, 
after  having  gone  a few  steps  3 along  the  Vindhya  forest  which 
abounded  in  <banyans>  as  a river  in  a low  region  abounds  in 
<underbrush> ; [105]  which  had  <great  reeds  everywhere)  as  the 
battlefield4  of  the  capture  of  Uttara’s  kine  had  <Brhannala 
appear) ; which  produced  an  abundance  of  <camphor>  as  the 
entrance  of  a drum  in  a dry  land  produces  an  abundance  of 
<water  from  the  clouds) 5 ; which  had  <sap  inherent  in  many 
trees)  as  the  nectarous  converse  of  the  wise  has  its  <savour  drunk 
by  many  a knave) ; which  continually  held  <plantain  trees)  as 
Nalakubara’s  desire  was  to  hold  <Rambha>  continually ; [106] 
which  had  its  paths  indicated  by  ighantarava- plants)  as  the 
course  of  a must  elephant  has  his  path  indicated  by  the  <sound 
of  his  bells)  ; which  had  <quickly  growing  kadambas>  as  the 
worship  of  the  Holy  Lord  6 has  <many  fruits  growing  near  by) ; 
which  gave  joy  to  hundreds  of  <reeds)  as  the  wealth  of  Virata 
gave  joy  to  hundreds  of  <Klcakas>.7 

[107]  Meanwhile,  to  the  peak  of  the  western  mount  climbed 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ in  the  shade  under  a rose-apple  tree.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add,  ‘ like  Vikartana,  who  <loved  Chaya),  for  it  had 
(delightful  shade> ; like  Visnu,  who  possessed  (LaksmI),  for  it  possessed  <beauty> ; as 
a king  bent  on  invasion  is  adorned  with  (thronging  vehicles),  it  was  adorned  with 
(close-set  leaves) ; as  the  Veda  is  bedecked  with  many  (schools),  it  was  bedecked  with 
many  (branches) ; as  a group  of  courtesans  has  (the  love  of  many  paramours) ; it  was 
(bright  with  many  buds).’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ a journey  of  some  length  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ a journey  of  some  steps.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘as  the  land  of  the  capture’;  cf.  Makabkarata,  4.  36-69. 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  the  drum  in  the  Kuru  land  brought  a host  of  full 
mighty  men  ’ (i.  e.,  the  Kauravas  and  Pandavas).  The  allusion  seems  to  be  to  a rain  charm. 

6 Siva.  Tel.  ed.,  ‘as  the  worship  of  the  Holy  Lord  has  (many  fruits  gone  forth 
from  afar),  it  had  (lofty-growing  kadambas >.’ 

7 Cf.  Makabkarata,  4.  14-22. 


74 


vAsavadatta 


that  very  god  whose  garment  is  of  rays,  with  his  disc  red  as  the 
eyes  of  a must  buffalo  1 exhausted  by  heat.  Then  Makaranda, 
getting  fruits  and  roots,  brought  an  abundance  2 of  pleasing  food 
in  some  way  or  other,  and  himself  ate  the  remainder  of  what  had 
been  enjoyed  by  Kandarpaketu.  Thereupon,  placing  that  most 
dear  one  on  the  tablet  of  his  heart,  looking  on  her  as  if  limned 
by  a pencil,3  [108]  Kandarpaketu,  with  unshaken  resolution, 
slept  on  a couch  of  boughs  prepared  by  Makaranda.  Then, 
when  but  half  a watch  of  the  night4  had  elapsed,  Kandarpaketu 
heard  there,  on  the  tip  of  the  rose-apple  tree,  the  chatter  of 
a parrot  and  a maina 5 quarrelling  one  with  the  other,  and  he 
said  to  Makaranda  : ‘ Good  friend,  let  us  now  listen  to  the  chit- 
chat of  this  pair  ’ ! 

[109]  Then  the  mama6  said,  in  a voice  tremulous  with  anger: 
‘ Wretch  ! you  have  gone  off  courting  some  other  maina  ! How 
else  have  you  passed  this  night  ’?  Hearing  this,7  the  parrot  said 
to  her : ‘ My  dear,  an  unprecedented  story  has  been  heard  and 
witnessed  by  me 8 ; for  this  reason  there  has  been  a loss  of  time.’ 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘forest  elephant.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ abundance.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ looking  on  that  most  dear  one  as  if  limned  by  the 
pencil  of  fancy  on  the  tablet  of  his  heart.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ when  but  a watch  of  the  night  had  elapsed,’  also 
omitting  ‘ there.’ 

8 The  association  of  the  parrot  and  maina  (here  called  iarika)  is  a common- 
place in  both  the  ancient  and  the  modern  literature  of  India.  In  this  association  they 
convey  weighty  information  in  Swynnerton,  Raja  Rasalu,  pp.  105,  115-117,  Calcutta, 
1884  (where  the  maina  is  called  sdrak) ; Knowles,  Folk-Tales  of  Kashmir , 2 ed., 
pp.  65-66,  London,  1893  (where  it  is  termed  har) ; Schiefner,  Tibetan  Tales,  tr.  Ralston, 
pp.  168-169,  London,  1906;  Steel  and  Temple,  Wide-Awake  Stories,  p.  139,  Bombay 
1884  ; Ram  Satya  Mukharji,  Indian  Folklore , p.  60,  Calcutta,  1904  (where  the  maina 
is  called  sari).  On  talking  birds  in  general  in  modem  Indian  folk-tales  cf.  Knowles, 
op.  cit.,  pp.  168-169, 198,  231,434;  Steel  and  Temple,  op.  cit.,  pp.  176,  412  ; Temple, 
Legends  of  the  Panjab,  1.  9-10,  Bombay,  1884  ; Day,  Folk- Tales  of  Bengal,  pp.  41-42, 
134_I35>  London,  1883 ; Frere,  Old  Deccan  Days,  2 ed.,  pp.  74-75,  London,  1870  ; Dra- 
cott, Simla  Village  Tales,  p.  62,  London,  1906 ; N^tesa  Sastri,  Dravidian  Nights,  p.  275, 
Madras,  1886;  O’Connor,  Folk-Tales  from  Tibet,  pp.  160,  166,  London,  1906.  On 
the  basis  of  the  belief  see  MacCulloch,  Childhood  of  Fiction,  pp.  38,  247,  London,  1905. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a maina  in  the  rose-apple  bower,  in  a voice  tremulous 
with  anger,  said  to  a parrot  that  had  come  after  a long  time.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  insert  ‘ then.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * dismiss  your  wrath  ! An  unprecedented  great  story 
has  been  witnessed  by  me.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE  75 

Then,  being  urged1  by  the  maina,  whose  curiosity  had  been 
aroused,  he  began  to  recount  the  tale. 

[no]  ‘There  is  a city  named  Kusumapura,2  adorned  with 
whitewashed  houses  3 that  have  <statues>  as  the  introductions  4 to 
the  Brliatkatha  have  <heroines>  5 ; where  (children  play>  even  as 
the  imanavakakridasy  6 have  metres  ; that  have  (turrets)  as  herds 
of  elephants  have  (must  beasts) ; that  have  (windows)  as  Sugriva’s 
army  had  (Gavaksa) ; that  are  situated  in  (pleasant  places)  as 
Bali’s  abodes  are  situated  in  the  (Sutala-hell) ; [in]  that  is  filled 
with  a population  which  is  (Kubera)  yet  <(Varuna»,  for  it  is 
(generous)  and  «wise» ; which  is  a (goatherd)  yet  a <(deer»,  for 
it  (holds  fast  to  passion)  and  is  <(delightful» 7 ; which  is  (Priyam- 
vada)  yet  ((PuspaketuD,  for  it  (speaks  kindly)  and  is  «bedecked 
with  flowers)) ; which  is  (Bharata)  yet  «Satrughna»,  for  it 
(delights  in  astronomy)  and  ((slays  its  foes))8;  [112]  which 
(makes  the  lunar  day  its  highest  object)  yet  ((gives  no  heed  to 
the  lunar  day)),  for  it  is  (devoted  to  lovers)  and  ((gives  full  heed 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ repeatedly  pressed.’ 

s With  this  description  of  Kusumapura  Cartellieri  (‘  Subandhu  and  Bana,’  in  IVZKM. 
1.  132)  compares  that  of  Ujjayini  in  Kadambart,  pp.  102-1  u,  Bombay  ed.,  1890 
(tr.  Ridding,  pp.  210-214,  London,  1896).  Kusumapura  is,  of  course,  synonymous 
with  Pataliputra,  the  Palibothra  of  the  classics,  and  the  modem  Patna  (cf.  Lassen, 
Indische  Alterthumskunde,  1,  2 ed.,  167-169,  Leipzig,  1867  ; Hall,  Introd.,  pp.  35-36  ; 
M’Crindle,  Ancient  India  as  described  in  Classical  Literature , p.  42,  n.  3,  West- 
minster, 1901). 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ radiant  with  houses  white  with  auspicious  white- 
wash) as  the  peaks  of  Mount  Mandara  are  <delightsome  with  renowned  ambrosia).’ 

* Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ sections.’  Lacote  ( Essai  sur  Gunadhya  et  la 
Brkatkatha,  pp.  220-225,  Paris,  1908),  adopting  the  lambhair  or  lambhakair  of 
Hall’s  manuscripts  D and  F and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara,  translates  ‘ conquests,’ 
thus  bringing  the  allusion  of  Subandhu  into  harmony  with  the  divisions  of  the 
Kathasaritsagara  and  Brhatkathamanjari  (for  other  interpretations  see  Speyer,  ‘ Het 
zoogenaamde  groote  verhaal  (de  Brhatkatha)  en  de  tijd  zijner  samenstelling,’  in 
Verslagen  en  mededeelingen  der  Koninklijk  Akademie  van  Wetenschappen,  Afdeeling 
Letterkunde , 4.  9.  142  ; Von  Mankowski,  Der  Auszug  aus  dem  Pancatantra  hi 
Kshemendras  Brihatkath&manjari,  Introd.,  p.  10,  Leipzig,  1892). 

6 Lacote  {loc.  cit.)  very  plausibly  translates  talabhanjika  by  ‘ vidyadharis  ’ (cf. 
Jagaddhara’s  gloss  ad  loc.,  ialabhanjika  vidyadhari , 1 salabhanjika  (is  the  same  as) 
vidyadhari''). 

5 See  Weber,  Ueber  die  Metrik  der  Inder,  p.  367,  Berlin,  1863. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ which  is  <Krsna)  yet  «Rama»,  for  it  is  <eloquent) 

and  «delightful».’ 

8 Srirangam  text,  ‘yet  «Laksmana»  . . . and  ^prosperous)).' 


76 


vAsavadattA 


to  hospitality» ; which  is  <unnumbered>  yet  «numbered»,  for 
it  is  <peaceable>  and  <Klearned» ; which  is  <no  arrow>  yet  an 
«arrow»,  for  it  <discloses  secrets>  and  is  <£valiant»  ; which  is  <not 
degraded)  yet  is  addicted  to  many  «liquors»,  for  it  is  <free  from 
repentance)  and  addicted  to  many  «sacrifices» ; which  is  (Visnu’s) 
<disc>  yet  «no  disc)),  for  it  is  <beautiful>  and  «without  guile» ; 
which  <exudes  no  ichor)  yet  is  «Supratlka»,1  for  it  <has  no 
egotism)  and  is  «goodly  in  figure))  ; [x  1 3]  which  is  <no  bird)  yet 
is  a «flamingo»,  for  it  is  like  <Visnu’s  bird)  and  <Xpure» ; which 
shows  no  diminution  of  oil)  yet  is  a «household  lamp)),  for  it 
shows  no  <ill  consequences  of  affection)  and  «illumines  its  race))  ; 
which  has  no  <knots>  yet  is  a «bamboo-shoot»,  for  it  has  no 
<deceit>  and  is  a <£scion  of  its  race)) ; which  increases  its  <lustre 
by  justice)  as  a summer’s  day  increases  its  <glow  by  Taurus); 
which  begins  <asceticism>  as  the  day  at  the  end  of  Magha  begins 
<Phalguna>  2 ; [114]  which  das  no  planets)  yet  knows  «Venus 
and  Jupiter)),  for  it  is  <free  from  theft)  and  knows  «the  essence 
of  poetry)). 

‘ It  is  supplied  with  a population  of  courtesans  who  show  the 
<marks  of  tooth-bites)  as  a day  of  the  rainy  season 3 shows 
<broken  clouds) ; who  are  adorned  with  <pravalamani-bl\.Qs> 
as  the  seashore  is  adorned  with  <coral  and  jewels)4;  who  are 
<expert  in  practising  the  indrani>rj  as  the  host  of  Apsarasas 
are  dunning  from  their  association  with  Indra’s  wife) ; who  have 
their  appetites  whetted  by  their  <paramours>  as  a wild  elephant 6 
has  his  appetite  whetted  by  the  <young  boughs);  [115]  who  are 
bred  up  <for  strangers)  as  the  koel  is  bred  up  <by  another) ; who 


1 The  world-elephant  of  the  northeast  quarter. 

2 Magha  is  the  name  of  a lunar  month  corresponding  to  the  latter  part  of  January 
and  the  first  part  of  February,  and  is  followed  by  Phalguna.  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam 
text  add,  ‘ which  goes  in  the  path  of  the  <good>  as  the  wind  goes  in  the  path  of  the 
<planets>  ; which  is  the  lord  of  <earth>  as  the  sun  is  the  lord  of  <rays>;  which  has  <gold> 
as  the  Great  Lord  (Siva)  has  the  <moon>.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * as  the  autumn.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ who  are  adorned  with  <hair>  as  the  seashore  is 
adorned  with  <coral>.’  See  Schmidt,  Beitrdge  zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  502-503, 
Leipzig,  1902. 

5 See  Schmidt,  op.  cit.  pp.  530-531,  564,  570. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ lordly  elephant.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


77 


are  rocked  <by  Kama)  as  a bee  is  rocked  <among  the  flowers) ; 
who  are  skilled  in  drawing  <paramours>  as  a leech  is  skilled  in 
drawing  <blood> ; who  are  bent  on  <coition>  as  a sacrificial  priest 1 
is  bent  on  <divinity> ; who  have  <gay  paramours>  as  the  arm  of 
the  Great  Dancer  2 has  the  <quivering  serpent)  ; who  <inflame  the 
hearts  of  their  gallants)  as  Garuda  <causes  anguish  to  the  hearts 
of  serpents)  ; [i  16]  who  are  Superior  to  (other)  courtesans)  as  the 
demon  3 Andha  was  <impaled  on  the  trident). 

‘ There,  too,  dwells  the  revered  KatyayanI  herself,  called 
Vetala,4  whose  lotus  feet  are  caressed  by  the  garlands  on  the 
crests  of  gods  and  demons;  [i 1 7]  who  is  the  forest  fire  of 
the  great  woods5  of  Sumbha  and  Nisumbha0;  who  is  the 
adamantine  cliff  of  the  mountain  of  the  great  demon  7 Mahisa ; 
whose  lotus  feet  are  bathed  by  the  river8  of  Jahnu’s  daughter 
falling  from  the  matted  locks  9 of  Him  10  who  holds  the  Ganges 
subdued  by  love.11 

‘ And  in  its  environs  flows  the  blessed  Ganges,  with  a stream 
of  fragrance  from  the  lines  of  pollen  of  the  flowers  of  the  diadems 
of  gods  and  demons 12  ; [ x x 8]  with  a current  of  the  tide  of  virtue 13 
from  the  ascetic’s  water-jar  of  the  Great  Father14;  a pure  rope15 
for  Sagara’s  hundreds  16  of  sons,  come 17  to  earth,  to  ascend  to  the 
city  of  the  gods  18 ; with  its  waters  perfumed  by  the  dripping  of 
the  yellow  sandal-wood  trees19  on  the  bank,  (trees)  shaken  by  being 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  one  who  continually  performs  sacrifices.’ 

9 Siva.  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ who  are  <tight  in  the  embrace  of  their  lovers)  as  the  forest  of  the 
arms  of  the  Great  Dancer  has  <the  marks  of  the  serpent  he  holds).’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘demon.’  For  the  allusion  cf.  Harivamia , 
I43-I44- 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘Canda.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ of  the  might  of  the  great  demons  ’ ; cf.  Markan- 

deyapurana , 72-73.  6 Cf.  Markandeyapurana,  85-90. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 of  the  excellent  mountain  of  the  demon.’ 

8 Ganges. 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ from  the  pinnacle  of  the  matted  locks.’ 

10  Siva.  11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ subdued  by  the  strife  of  love.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ pollen  of  diadem-flowers  fallen  in  the  bathing  of 
gods  and  demons.’ 

13  Srirangam  text,  ‘ proceeding  from.’  14  Brahma. 

16  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a pure  rope-ladder.’  16  Tel.  ed.  omits  1 hundreds.' 

17  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘fallen.’  18  Cf.  Maliabharata,  3.  106-109. 

19  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ perfumed  by  the  sap  dripping  from.’ 


78 


vAsavadattA 


rubbed  by  the  frontal  lobes  1 of  Airavata  ; with  its  waves  in  com- 
motion from  their  beating  by  the  round  hips  of  wanton  Apsa- 
rasas  ; with  its  current  pure  because  of  the  perfume  of  the  forest 
of  matted  locks  of  the  Seven  Sages  2 come  down  to  bathe  ; wind- 
ing because  of  the  very  purification  produced  by  its  revolutions 
in  the  terrible  cave  of  the  matted  locks3  of  Him  4 whose  crest  is 
the  moon. 

* As  the  earth  is  capable  of  the  delight  of  touching  the  <trunk 
of  Sarvabhauma),  it  is  capable  of  the  delight  of  touching  the 
<hands  of  universal  sovereigns)  ; as  a pool  in  the  autumn-tide  has 
<white  lotuses  and  (other  varieties  of)  white  lotuses)  submerged  5 
by  the  water  but  revealed  by  swarms  of  bees  hovering  about  and 
intoxicated  with  6 the  perfume,  so  it  has  <Kumuda  and  Punda- 
rlka)  ; [119]  as  the  Chandoviciti  has  the  <mdlinl  (metre))7  it  has 
the  <MalinI  (river))8;  though  it  has  its  darkness  destroyed,  it  is 
<full  of  darkness),  for  it  has  the  <Tamasa>  ; though  it  has 9 billows, 
it  is  <not  difficult  to  cross  on  account  of  its  billows),  for  it  is 
<impassable  for  the  Avlci-hell). 

‘ This  city  is  also  adorned  in  one  place  and  another  with  trees 
of  pleasure  gardens  that  produce 10  flowers  multitudinous  as  the 
hosts  of  stars  ; [120]  that  prop  up  the  clouds  with  shoots  11  made 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * cheek.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ forest  of  pure  matted  locks  of  the  circle  of  the 
Seven  Sages.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ winding  even  now  as  if  in  the  purification  produced 
by  its  revolution  in  the  cave  of  the  terrible  matted  locks.’ 

4 isiva.  B Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘deeply  submerged.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ and  intoxicated  with.’ 

7 See  Weber,  Ueber  die  Metrik  der  Inder,  p.  391,  Berlin,  1863.  South  Indian 
manuscripts  give  the  name  Chandoviciti  to  the  sixteenth  book  of  the  Bharatiya- 
ndtyasdstra  (ed.  Regnand,  ‘ La  Metrique  de  Bharata,’  in  Annates  du  Musee  Guimet, 
2,  Paris,  1881),  and  Krishnamachariar  (Introd.,  pp.  35-36)  likewise  discards  the  old 
hypothesis  that  the  Chandoviciti  mentioned  by  Subandhu  was  the  one  written  by  Dandin. 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ as  the  series  of  planets  is  adorned  with  <Satum, 
the  moon,  and  the  sun>,  it  has  the  <Yamuna  and  flamingoes);  as  the  beauty  of  an 
autumnal  day  has  <the  sound  of  yawning  Brahminy  ducks  and  Visnu  awakened),  it  has 
eblazing  red  lotuses  and  the  eyes  of  expanded  white  lotuses).’ 

9 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ is  full  of.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  insert  ‘a  multitude  of  flowers,  as  it  were,  of  the 
santanaka-Xxtt  clinging  to  its  pinnacles,’  the  santanaka  being  one  of  the  five  trees  of 
Indra’s  heaven. 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘tips  of  shoots.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


79 


uneven  by  the  feeding  of  the  horses  of  the  chariot  of  the  sun 
which  are  obedient  when  lashed  by  the  whip  in  the  hands 1 of 
Anuru ; that  show  the  beauty  of  an  untimely  evening  by  thou- 
sands of  thick,  soft,  young  shoots  2 produced  by  sprinkling  with 
quantities  of  drops  of  ambrosia  adhering  to  the  feet  of  the  gazelle 
in  the  moon  ; that  are  <refuges  of  joy  most  excellent)  as  Bharata’s 
conduct  was  <ever  a refuge  to  Rama) ; that  sustain  <cocoanut 
palms)  as  great  heroes  sustain  the  <wanton  sport  of  women)  ; that 
extend  wide  the  <bedda- nut  trees)  as  raw  youths  let  their  <eyes> 
stray  wide  3 ; that  have  <lofty  4 iron-wood  trees)  as  lions  bent  on 
cleaving  the  frontal  lobes  of  must5  elephants  have  <bristling 
manes) ; that,  though  they  have  <omens  of  approaching  death), 
are  «long-lived»,  for  they  indeed  have  <soap-berry  trees)  and 
«j-#/-trees» 6 ; [121]  it  (the  city)  is  filled  with  <many  temples)  as 
the  belly  of  Aditi  is  filled  with  <hosts  of  many  gods) ; it  is 
adorned  with  <great  offerings)  and  abounds  in  «gallants»  as  Hell 
is  adorned  by  <great  Bali)  and  abounds  in  «serpents» ; it  is  pure 
even  through  its  <drinking  haunts),  because  of  its  <temples>  ; it  is 
free  from  calamities  even  through  its  <serpents>,  because  of  its 
<wealthy)  inhabitants.  Where  also  7 dwells  a king  named  Srnga- 
rasekhara, whose  staff-like  arms  are  marked  with  the  impress8  of 
the  jewelled  earrings  of  sleeping  women  exhausted  by  much9 
passion  ; whose  lotus  hands  are  fragrant  with  the  perfume  of 
the  garlands  of  flowers  in  the  hair  of  the  goddess  of  fortune  of 
his  mighty  adversaries  ; [122]  who  makes  <the  affairs  of  others 
prosper  in  many  ways)  like  a far-famed  field  which  yields  <great 
store  of  grain).  He  cleaves  the  <might  (of  the  foe),  is  pure,  rules 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘hands.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ flower-shoots.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  * have  their  faculties  of  politeness  far  away.’  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text 
insert  here,  ‘that  are  devoted  to  the  <China  rose)  as  ascetics  are  devoted  to  (muttered 
prayers);  that  are  adorned  with  (purging  cassias)  as  those  ornamented  are  adorned 
with  (made  garlands).’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ blooming.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ must.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ though  (provided  with  ascetics),  they  are  ((dominated 
by  passion)),  for  they  are  (filled  with  muni-)  and  <Lmadana-'f>\xtti' 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ there.’  3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ edges.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ vehemence.’ 


80  VASAVADATTA 

justly,  is  free  from  envy  and  full  of  forethought,  continually  active, 
a giver  of  wealth,  and  a cause  of  happiness),  being  <Indra,  Agni, 
Yama,  Nirrti,  Varuna,  Vayu,  Kubera,  and  Siva)  ; thus,  though  he 
has  <eight  forms),  he  has  «not  eight  forms»,  for  he  indeed  has  <eight 
qualities)1  and  his  «form  is  indestructible» ; as  Arjuna  had  <Su- 
bhadra)  and  «Bhimasena»,  he  has  <good  fortune)  and  a «terrible 
army» ; as  2 Krsna  had  <Satyabhama>  together  with  «Bala»,  he 
has  <truth,  glory,  and  fortune)  together  with  an  «army». 

[123]  ‘One3  doth  <protect  the  gods),  yet  <drinketh  wine); 
The  other  4 hath  a pure  and  single  heart  : 

One 3 had  a <planet 5 for  his  council-lord), 

And  still  <was  taken  in  iniquity) c ; 

The  other 4 loveth  righteousness  alone  : 

The  hand  of  one 3 doth  wield  the  <thunderbolt>, 

Yet  lusteth  after  wealth  <ten  millionfold); 

The  other4  giveth  all,  and  by  his  side 

Great  Indra’s  self  doth  seem  but  worthless  grass ! 

[124]  ‘In  battle  dread  our  king4  doth  draw  his  bow, 
Launching  his  arrows  at  the  hostile  host  ; 

Yea,  dealeth  doom  unto  his  enemies 

And  winneth  glory  on  the  blood-dyed  field. 

On  haste  the  foe,  deeming  his  valour  fled, 

But  swift  their  headless  corpses  strew  the  ground ; 
And  ere  our  monarch  stands  amidst  the  fray, 

Death  doth  abide  within  the  foemen’s  ranks.7 

[125]  ‘ While  this  king,  skilled  in  kingly  conduct,  the  conductor 
of  the  world  with  its  girdle  of  four  seas,8  rules  the  earth,  there  is 
loosing  of  a <bull>  in  sacrifice 9 to  ancestors  (but  there  is  no  loos- 
ing of  <law))  ; there  is  ascent  of  <Virgo  and  Libra)  by  the  moon 

1 The  eight  duties  of  the  king  are  receiving,  giving,  sending,  stopping,  pronouncing, 
overseeing,  condemning,  and  acquitting. 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  transfer  these  characterisations  to  the  previous  sentence. 

3 Indra.  * Srngarakekhara.  5 Brhaspati  (Jupiter). 

6 That  is,  in  adultery  with  Ahalya,  the  wife  of  Brhaspati. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Unto  their  doom  the  foemen’s  ranks  have  passed.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ girdle  of  the  four  oceans.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ sacrifices.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


8 1 


(but  there  is  no  ascent  of  the  <balance  by  girls>) 1 ; there  is  thought 
of  <sula  and  vyaghdta>  in  ydgas  2 (but  there  is  no  thought  of 
striking  with  the  impaling  stake))  ; there  is  cessation  of  <ichor> 
on  elephants’  cheeks  (but  there  is  no  cessation  of  <generosity>)  3 ; 
there  is  Employment)  of  the  right  and  left  hands  in  indicating 
direction4  (but  there  is  no  imputation)  of  right  and  left  hands) ; 
there  is  a Reparation  of  cream)  in  the  case  of  curds  (but  there  is 
no  <piercing  with  arrows))  ; [126]  there  is  a (series  of  connexions) 
in  sound-composition  (but  there  is  no  (binding  in  fetters)) ; there 
are  (similes  and  paraleipses)  among  the  adornments  of  poetry  5 
(but  there  is  no  (reproach  because  of  carelessness)) ; there  is  a (fall- 
ing off  of  bits  of  targets)  of  arrows  (but  there  is  no  (cessation  in 
the  joy  of  giving  lacs)) ; there  is  (entire  destruction  of  kvips>  6 (but 
there  is  no  (destruction  of  all  birds)) ; there  is  (closing  of  buds)  in 
lotus-pools  (but  there  is  no  (shrinkage  of  treasure) 7) ; there  is  (loss 
of  caste)  among  rascals,  but  there  is  no  (lack  of  Malabar  jasmines) 
in  garlands  of  flowers  8 ; there  is  cessation  of  (ichor)  in  aged  ele- 
phants, but  there  is  no  cessation  of  (passion)  among  men  ; [127] 
there  is  (silver)  in  bracelets 9 and  the  like,  but  there  is  no  (bad 
caste  connexion)  among  fair  women  ; there  is  (interruption  of  the 
gandhara  mode)  in  the  musical  scale,  but  there  is  no  (surrender  of 
minium)  among  ladies  in  the  city 10  ; there  is  (absence  of  roughness) 

1 That  is,  it  is  not  necessary  for  any  maiden  to  undergo  the  ordeal  by  balance  (cf. 
Jolly,  Recht  und  Sitte,  p.  145,  Strassburg,  1896). 

2 ‘ Die  Zeit,  welche  die  Siimme  der  Bewegung  in  Lange  von  Sonne  und  Mond 
beansprucht,  um  den  Betrag  der  Ausdehnung  eines  Mondhauses,  d.  i.  130  20',  zu 
erreichen,  heisst  ein  yoga  ’ (Ginzel,  Handbuch  der  mathematischen  und  technischen 
Chronologie,  1.  361,  Leipzig,  1906).  The  yogas  sula  (106°  4o'-i20°  o')  and  vyaghata 
(1600  o'- 1 730  20')  correspond  to  the  ninth  and  thirteenth  lunar  mansions  respectively 
( ib . p.  362).  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ in  parturitions  there  is  thought  of  being  struck  with  pangs’  ; 
Srirangam  text,  ‘ yoga-exercises.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ indications  of  direction.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ of  poetry.’ 

6 On  the  grammatical  term  kvip  see  Panini,  3.  2.  61,  76,  87,  177. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ among  the  people.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ there  is  <lack  of  Malabar  jasmines)  in  garlands,  but  there  is  no  <loss  of 
caste)  in  a wicked  family  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ in  families.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ earrings.’ 

10  That  is,  none  become  widows.  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  1 there  is  know- 
ledge of  (intonation)  in  songs,  but  there  is  no  knowledge  of  (fainting)  among  the  people. 

G 


82  VASAVADATTA 

among  attendants  of  low  rank,  but  there  is  no  <lack  of  raiment) 
among  retainers  1 ; there  are  <dark  clouds)  in  the  nights,  but  there 
are  no  <dirty  robes)  among  men  ; [128]  there  are  <quaver  notes)  in 
songs,  but  there  are  no  <fickle  affections)  among  gallants  ; there  are 
<outpourings  of  manly  vigour)  in  tremulous  delightsomeness,  but 
there  is  no  (desertion  of  justice)  among  citizens  ; there  are  (breaks) 
in  changing  musical  modes,  but  there  is  no  (crookedness)  in 
thoughts ; there  is  lack  of  (limb)  in  the  God  of  Love,  but  there 
is  no  lack  of  (allegiance)  in  a retainer ; there  is  an  approach  of 
(Love)  at  the  appearance  of  youth,  but  there  is  no  approach  of 
(Death)  among  subjects  ; there  are  (wounds  by  the  teeth)  in 
amorous  delights,  but  there  is  no  (slaughter  of  birds)  among  the 
people  ; there  is  a (binding  of  the  girdle)  in  love’s  disports,  but 
there  is  no  (tying  of  the  tongue)  in  assent  to  generosity;  [129] 
there  is  (redness  of  the  lower  lip)  among  young  girls,  but  there 
is  no  (base  inclination)  among  subjects  ; there  is  (cutting)  in  the 
case  of  hair,  but  there  is  no  (spinning) 2 among  women  ; there  is 
(swordship)  of3  swords,  but  there  is  no  (cruelty)  of  men4  ; (death 
by  the  sword)  is  ordained  of  warriors,5  but  there  is  no  (loss  of 
taxes  or  children).6 

‘ And  set  above  all  the  harem  is  the  chief  queen,7  named  Anan- 
gavatl,  who  has  a (host  of  delighted  attendants)  as  the  ichorous 
streak  on  the  cheek  8 of  the  world-elephant  has  a (swarm  of  de- 
lighted bees)  ; [130]  who  is  (tender)  like  Parvatl  (with  the  beautiful 
Kumara).9  And  in  some  way,  by  Heaven’s  will,  there  was  born 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ there  is  lack  of  (toil)  among  attendants  of  low  rank,  but  there  is  no  lack 
of  <silk>  in  undergarments.’ 

2 Cf.  Quintus  Curtius,  5.  2.  19  ‘ Non  aliud  magis  in  contumeliam  Persarum  feminae 
accipiunt  quam  admouere  lanae  manus.’  Even  the  modern  weaver  castes  of  India  rank 
only  as  ‘ clean  Sudras  ’ (Bhattacharya,  Hindu  Castes  and  Sects , pp.  227-236,  Calcutta, 
1896). 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ in.’  4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ in  minds.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ in  battles.’ 

c Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ among  subjects.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ of  that  king  thus  constituted.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ on  the  cheek.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ who  is  <tender>  and  adorned  with  a «golden 
diadem»  as  Parvatl  has  the  <beautifnl  Kumara)  and  is  adorned  with  a «digit  of  the 

moon» ; who  is  lovely  with  <fresh  garlands)  and  has  «her  face  adorned  with  a sectarial 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


83 


to  them,  after  they  had  reached  middle  age,  a daughter  named 
Vasavadatta,  with  a form  enchanting  the  triple  world  ; <giving 
joy  to  the  eyes  of  thousands)  as  Puldman’s  daughter  (delighted 
the  God  of  a Thousand  Eyes).1  Now,  even  though  she  has 
reached  maturity,  she,  who  (rejoices  her  family)  as  Ravana’s  arm 
(made  the  mountains  quake),  has  remained  averse  to  marriage  in 
her  youth.2 

[131]  ‘ But  once  upon  a time3  came  Spring,  that  causes  fever 
in  travellers  4 through  the  soft,  low  sound  of  the  swarms  of  bees 
that  settle  on  the  masses  of  buds  of  the  opening  mango-trees  ; 
that  carries  to  every  quarter  the  noise  of  the  koels,  whose  throats 
are  fragrant  from  tasting  the  perfume  of  the  flowers  of  the  mango 
shaken  by  the  gentle  Malaya  breeze  ; that  makes  all  5 the  lake 
resound  with  the  din  of  the  kalahamsas,  intoxicated  and  clinging 
to  the  clusters  of  expanded  lotuses  ; [132]  that  wounds  the 
hearts  of  the  wives  of  absentees  with  the  arrows  of  the  southern 
breeze,6  come  into  contact  with  quantities  of  falling  drops  of 
showers  of  sap 7 passing  out  through  holes  in  the  stems  8 of  buds 


mark»  as  a stretch  of  forest  is  lovely  with  <new  Arabian  jasmines)  and  has  «groves  of 
ushoka- trees)) ; who  has  (beautiful  hair)  and  a «svveet  voice))  as  the  host  of  Apsarasas 
has  (Sukesi)  and  «Mahjugh5sa».’ 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  1 with  an  (exquisite  form)  as  the  slopes  of  Mount 
Mem  have  (beautiful  gold) ; with  (glistening  pupils)  as  an  autumn  night  has  (glittering 
stars)  ; beautified  with  a (row  of  perfect  teeth)  as  an  assembly  of  good  men  has  a (group 
of  faultless  Brahmans)  ; adorned  with  (garlanded,  lovely  tresses)  as  the  good  fortune  of 
the  Raksasa  race  was  adorned  with  (Malyavan  and  Sukesa).’  The  deity  in  question  is 
Indra. 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  1 now,  even  though  she  has  reached  maturity,  she 
has  remained  averse  to  marriage  in  her  youth,  which  (rejoices  her  family)  as  the  forest 
of  Ravana’s  arms  (made  the  mountains  quake) ; which  is  adorned  with  (love)  as  Mount 
Vindhya  is  adorned  with  <jnadana-iTzvs> ; which  has  innate  (loveliness)  as  the  ocean 
has  innate  (salinity) ; which  is  beautified  with  (excellent  adornments)  as  Indra’s  pleasure 
grove  is  adorned  (continually  with  the  kalpa-Vtte>  (Srirangam  text,  ‘ which  is  delighted 
with  (youths  of  excellent  adornment)  as  Indra’s  pleasure  grove  is  delighted  (continually 
with  the  kalpa- tree)’)  ; which  is  (charming)  as  the  wind  (carries  off  flowers).’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then  once  upon  a time.’ 

4 Because  the  humming  of  the  bees  recalls  to  them  the  homes  that  they  have  been 
obliged  to  leave  and  fills  them  with  the  fever  of  love-longing. 

6 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘all.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘by  warding  off  love  in  the  southern  breeze,  which  has  its  origin  in 
quantities  of  drops’  ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

7 Srirangam  text,  ‘ sweet  sap.’  8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ stems.' 

G 2 


84 


vasavadattA 


of  trumpet-flowers  cloven  by  the  tips  of  the  claws  1 of  koels ; 
that  makes  medlar-trees  horripilate  from  sprinkling  2 with  rum  in 
mouthfuls 3 by  amorous  girls  merry  with  wine ; that  has 
hundreds  of  ushoka- trees  delighted  by  the  slow  4 stroke  of  the 
tremulous  lotus  feet,  beautiful  with  anklets,  of  wanton  damsels 
enslaved  by  amorous  delights 5 ; that  has  countless  hundreds  6 
of  travellers  bewildered 7 with  listening  to  festal  songs  8 begun  by 
knaves  eager  to  hear  songs  full  of  obscenity  sung  everywhere  9 ; 
[133]  that  has  <red  lotuses>  as  a rascal  is  <unpleasant  to  the 
good) ; that  has  no  <Malabar  jasmine  creepers)  as  one  of  low 
birth  has  no  <origin)  ; that  is  honoured  with  hundreds  of  (yel- 
lowish-red  dhak- trees)  as  Ravana  was  honoured  by  hundreds 
of  <demons  that  had  drunk  of  blood) ; that  has  <sweet  breezes)  as 
a great  lady-killer  has  <perfumes>  ; that  has  (thriving  blue  lotuses) 
as  a good  king  makes  the  (circle  of  earth  prosper);  [134]  that 
has  (full-grown  cucumbers)  as  a realist 10 11  (increases  hope  of  weal); 
that  has  (overcome  winter)  as  the  poetic  composition  of  good 
poets  (possesses  tu,  hi,  and  na> 11  ; that  is  (freed  from  continuous 
night)  as  a good  man  has  (no  connexion  with  the  bad);  that  (has 
blue  lotuses,  azure  lotuses,  and  W-trees)  as  a fisherman  (catches 
rajiva-,utpala-,  and  ia/<z-fish>12;  that  dislikes13  the  (cranes  of  Maru) 

1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘hard  beaks’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘ hard  nails  and  beaks.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ attention.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ from  the  lotus  mouths.’  According  to  the  con- 
ventions of  Sanskrit  literature,  the  medlar  ( Mimusops  Elengi,  Willd.)  blooms  only  when 
sprinkled  with  mouthfuls  of  wine  from  the  lips  of  beautiful  girls.  In  like  manner,  the 
ushoka  ( Jones t a asoca)  blossoms  only  when  touched  by  a fair  girl’s  foot. 

4 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ slow.’  5 Tel.  ed.,  * ardour.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  1 hundreds.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ delighting  in.’ 

8 Srirangam  text,  ‘ beat  of  festal  songs.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ sung  daily  by  buffoons  full  of  obscenity.’  The 
allusion  is,  of  course,  to  the  Holi-festival,  held  in  early  spring  (see  Crooke,  Popular 

Religion  and  Folk-Lore  of  ATorthern  India,  2.  313-322,  Westminster,  1896). 

10  Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  a city  man.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ that  has  no  <winter>  attached  as  the  poetry  of  good  poets  has  no  (.tu,  hi, 
and  nay  attached  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ that  has  <no  fall  of  winter  attached)  as  the  poetry 
of  good  poets  has  <no  particles  tu  and  hi  attached).’ 

12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘that  has  (multitudes  of  blue  and  azure  lotuses)  as  a fisherman  (catches 
nets  of  rdjiva-  and  wf/a/a-fish).’ 

15  Tel.  ed.,  ‘displeases.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


85 


as  flocks  of  birds 1 in  a beautiful  tank  dislike 2 the  <basil> ; 
[135]  that  has  the  beauty  of  the  <dndranl- plant)  as  Sakra 
delights  in  <Ind?ani> 3 ; that  Surpasses  the  wormwood-tree>  as 
a great  hero  4 <subdues  his  foes> ; that  has  the  <beauty  of  globe- 
amaranths)  as  a knave  has  Unimpaired  good  fortune). 

[136]  ‘When  spring-tide  is  far  advanced  on  earth,  who  is  not 
transformed,5  since  even  an  Emancipated  ascetic  beamed),  for 
the  <mango  with  its  creeper  bloomed)?  Like  a <feather-guard> 6 
the  swarm  of  bees  shone  as  a protection),  nestling  on  the  arrow- 
shaft  of  the  fresh  mango-buds  7 of  Him  whose  arrows  are  flowers. 
Upon  the  Arabian  jasmine-bud8  that  had  come  forth  from  its 
stem  the  sweetly9  humming  bee  [137]  seemed  to  sound  the 
trumpet-call  for  Kama’s  march  10  to  victory  over  the  threefold 
world.  By  its  fresh  shoots  the  ushoka , because  of  its  longing  to 
be  touched  by  a maiden’s  ankleted  foot,11  red  with  the  dye  of  new 
lac,  seemed  to  have  assumed  that  colour.12  The  medlar-tree 
shone  as  if,  through  sprinkling13  with  mouthfuls  from  amorous 
girls’  lotus  lips  completely 14  filled  with  sweet  wine,  it  had  assumed 
its  (the  wine’s)  colour 15  in  its  own  flowers.  The  ushoka- cluster, 
dotted  by  multitudes  of  bees  that  had  fallen  within  it,  inflamed 
the  hearts  16  of  travellers  like  the  circlet  of  the  half-extinguished 
pyre  of  the  Mind-Born  God.  [138]  Like  a necklace  of  pearls 
and  sapphires,17  the  beauty  of  the  spring-tide  was  radiant  with 
rows  of  blossoming  Arabian  jasmines  and  goodly  swarms  of  bees. 


I Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ of  birds.’  2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ displease.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ that  is  <radiant  with  the  indrani- plant)  as  Sakra  is 

<delightful  to  Indra.nl>.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ as  one  of  great  wisdom.’ 

6  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ who  would  not  be  transformed’  ? 

6 Tel.  ed.,  * like  the  written  series  of  the  letters  of  a name,’  without  attempt  at 
paronomasia  ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ flowers.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ in  the  hollow  of  the  expanded  Arabian  jasmines.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ sweetly.’  10  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ march.’ 

II  Tel.  ed.,  ‘a  maiden’s  foot  charming  with  the  tinkling  of  an  exquisite  anklet.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘that very  colour.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ contact.’  14  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘completely.’ 

15  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘perfume.’  16  Tel.  ed.,  ‘minds.’ 

17  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ like  a necklace  with  pearls  and  sapphires.’ 


86 


vAsavadattA 


The  flower  of  the  iron-wood  tree  was  lovely  as  the  wheel 1 of  the 
God  of  Flowery  Arrows  for  agitating  the  hearts  of  absentees. 
The  trumpet-flower  seemed  to  be  the  hook  of  the  God  of  the 
Flowery  Bow  to  catch  the  fish  which  are  the  hearts  of  the 
travellers.2 

[139]  ‘The  breeze  of  Malaya  blew  with  odours  of  great 
sweetness  from  the  perfumes  commingled  by  being  crushed 
by  the  braids  on  the  sloping  foreheads  3 of  Lata  damsels,  eager 
for  abundance  4 of  amorous  play ; bearing  the  fragrance  of  the 
perfume  of  saffron-dust  on  the  urn-like  bosoms  5 of  fair  Karnatic 
beauties,  versed  in  all  amorous  arts;  making  the  sky  re-echo 
with  the  sound  of  the  very  sweet  6 humming  of  swarms  of  bees, 
collected  because  of  the  fragrance  inherent  in  the  splendour7 
of  the  hair  of  beautiful,  artfully  expert  damsels  of  Kuntala 8 ; 
skilful  in  gathering  perfumes  for  marks  on  lovely  cheeks  of 
Kerala  girls,  tremulous  with  the  passion  of  young  adolescence  9 ; 
[140]  cunning10 *  to  touch  the  round  buttocks  of  large-buttocked 
Malava  ingenues ,n  versed  in  all  the  four-and-sixty  arts ; cooled 
by 12  abundant  drops  of  perspiration  from  the  burden  of  the  firm 
and  swelling  breasts  of  Andhra  dames,  overcome  by  amorous 
exhaustion.13 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ round  whetstone’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘ round  whetstone  for  the  arrows.’ 

2 Cf.  the  quatrain  of  Bhartrhari  (Bohtlingk,  Indische  Spriiche,  2 ed.,  No.  6237, 
St.  Petersburg,  1870-1873)  thus  translated  by  Jackson  (in  Cosmopolitan  Magazine, 
26.  276)  : 

‘ Angling  in  life’s  river,  Men — those  silly  fishes — 

Cupid  drops  his  line ; Quick  dart  up  above; 

On  the  hook  he  fastens  Out  he  pulls  and  fries  them 

Some  fair  maiden  fine.  In  the  fire  of  love.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ perfume  of  flowers  (Srirangam  text,  ‘ association  of  the  perfume  of 
medlar-flowers  ’)  in  the  massy  braids  of  hair  dishevelled  on  the  sloping  brows.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ abundance.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ masses  of  saffron-dust  on  the  pairs  of  fair,  urn-like  bosoms.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ very  sweet.’  7 Srirangam  text,  ‘ swaying.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ on  account  of  the  delightful  fragrance  inherent  in  the 

tresses  of  western  beauties  filled  with  love-longing.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.,  ‘lifted  up  by  young  adolescence.’  10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘fortunate.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘talkative  Malava  damsels.’  12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘cool  from.’ 

13  On  the  erotic  characteristics  of  women  from  the  several  districts  of  India  see 

Schmidt,  Beitrdge  zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  315-338,  Leipzig,  1902,  and  for  the  ‘ four- 

and-sixty  arts’  see  id.  pp.  136-146. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


«7 


‘ Meanwhile,  being  informed  by  Vasavadatta’s  maids  of  honour 
of  her  intention  [not  to  wed],1  Srngarasekhara  brought  together, 
for  his  daughter’s  self-choice,2  an  assembly  of  the  kings3  that 
possess  the  entire  earth.  Then  Vasavadatta4  ascended  a dais 
noisy  5 with  the  loud  murmur  of  swarms  of  bees  drunken  with 
the  fragrance  of  the  perfume6  of  burning  aloes  ; [141]  that  was 
whitened  by  the  radiance  of  the  lustre  of  most  vehement  laughter7; 
that  was  thronged  with  a multitude  of  suitors  skilled  in  many 
stories  of  ridicule  of  their  rivals  ; [142]  that  was  thronged  with 
swarms  of  bees  from  the  pleasure  groves  of  the  city,  attracted 
by  the  fragrance  of  the  burning  incense 8 ; that  made  the  air 
re-echo  with  <delightful  music)  as  Arjuna’s  battle  made  the 
air  re-echo  with  <Nandighosa>.9 

‘ And  there  stood 10  princes  : some  <conquered  courtesans)  as 
Kalahkura  <had  the  adornments  of  his  city  conquered  by  the 
bird)11 ; [143]  others  were  <blind,  swart,  and  without  teachers)  as 
the  Pandavas  were  Associated  with  Krsna,  DraupadI,  and  their 
teachers)  ; others  had  <hopes  of  joy)  12  exceeding  13  full  blown  as 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘his  daughter’s  intention.’ 

2 On  the  ‘ self-choice  ’ ( svayamvara ) of  a husband,  a special  privilege  of  the  warrior 
caste,  see  Schmidt,  op.  cit.  pp.  649-654  ; Jolly,  Recht  und  Sitte,  pp.  50-51,  Strassburg, 
1896;  Post,  Grundriss  der  ethnologischen  J urisprudenz,  i.  18-19,  Oldenburg,  1894- 
1895  ; Schiefner,  Tibetan  Tales,  tr.  Ralston,  pp.  282-284,  London,  1906  ; Budhasvamin, 
Brhatkathaildkasamgraha,  5.  80-93  ! 2°-  93-121  (ed.  Lacote,  Paris,  1908);  and,  in 
modem  folk-tales,  Knowles,  Folk-Tales  of  Kashmir , 2 ed.,  p.  494,  London,  1893  ; Steel 
and  Temple,  Wide-Awake  Stories,  p.  430  (references  to  further  literature),  Bombay, 
1884;  Natesa  Sastri,  Dravidian  Nights,  pp.  29-31,  61-67,  143,  Madras,  1886; 
Swynnerton,  Indian  Nights'  Entertainment,  pp.  1 60-1 61,  171,  289,  London,  1892. 
The  svayamvara  also  forms  one  of  the  main  motifs  of  the  entire  Kadambari. 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ princes.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘the  exquisitely  hipped  Vasavadatta.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘whose  atmosphere  resounded.’  6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ perfume  of  the  smoke.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  * perfumed  by  the  fragrance  of  the  abundance  of  most  vehement  laughter.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ fragrance  of  the  burning  perfume  materials  of 
bdellium  and  the  like.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘with  gifts  of  <parched  grain)  as  a monarch’s 

audience-hall  has  gifts  of  <kings> ; beautified  with  a <canopy>  as  a hermit’s  abode  is 
beautified  with  sacrifices) ; adorned  with  <flowers>  as  Indra’s  heaven  is  adorned  with 
<gods).’  10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ there,  for  an  instant,  stood.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ some  <knew  courtesans)  as  Kalahkura  seized  the 
adornments  of  the  city).’  The  bird  in  question  is  Garuda. 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ of  joy.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘exceeding.’ 


88 


vAsavadatta 


autumn  days  have  <cucumbers>  1 exceeding  2 full  blown ; others 
desired  the  <very  beautiful  girl>  as  men  eager  to  repel  a foe3 
desire  <their  own  army> ; [144]  some  listened  to  <Holi-songs> 
as  fowlers  listen  for  <birds> ; some  were  intent  on  the  pursuit 
of  <(mere)  appearance)  as  hunters  are  intent  on  the  pursuit  of 
<wild  beasts) ; some  destroyed  the  doctrines  of  (conventionality) 
as  adherents  of  the  teachings  of  Jaimini  destroy  the  doctrines  of 
the  (Buddhists) ; some  showed  (only)  the  (returns  of  the  year) 
as  wagtails  reveal  (gain  for  astrologers) ; some  uttered  (rather 
doleful  cries)  as  the  borders  of  Sumeru  are  (made  of  gold); 

[145]  some  were  (dazzled  at  the  sight  of  glorious  folk)  as  pools 
of  expanded  4 white  lotuses  are  (closed  at  the  sight  of  the  sun) ; 

[146]  some  trusted  in  the  delusion  5 produced  by  the  sight  of  the 
(beauty  of  the  universe)  as  Duryodhana  trusted  in  the  delusion  5 
produced  by  the  sight  of  (Krsna)  ; some,  though  (haughty  within 
themselves  through  the  consciousness  of  their  elephants),  had 
goodly  «steeds»,  for  they  were  indeed  (powerful  in  their  know- 
ledge of  self-defence)  and  had  goodly  «arms» ; some,  though 
desiring  to  (seize  the  hands  (of  their  foes)),  thought  «to  give 
life)),  for  indeed,  desiring  (to  wed  (Vasavadatta)),  they  thought 
«of  a thing  not  easy  to  do» ; [147]  some,  though  (subdued), 
were  <(stalwart»,  for  they  were  indeed  (dejected)  and  «motion- 
less»  ; some  had  their  (peace)  taken  away  on  account  of  their 
ignorance  of  the  mysteries  of  their  «senses»  as  the  Pandava  princes 
had  their  (lands)  taken  away  on  account  of  their  ignorance  of 
the  mysteries  of  the  «diceX>;  some  were  (Gunadhyas),  authors 
of  <U3rhatkathds^>}  for  they  were  (rich  in  hunting-nets)  (and) 
authors  of  «great  stories)) 6 ; others  were  (winds)  with  «sweet 
breezes)),  for  (they  went  in  crooked  ways)  (and)  «bore  perfumes))7; 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ quarters  of  the  sky.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ exceeding.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 eager  for  attack.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ expanded.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ marvels  of  the  delusion.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ some  followed  after  <great  stories)  as  Gunadhyas  follow  after  (Brhat- 
kathas')  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ others  bore  <perfumes>  as  winds  bear  <sweet  breezes).’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


89 


[148]  some  manifested  hopes  on  account  of  <crows>  as  the  troops 
of  the  Kurus  manifested  hopes  on  account  of  <Drona>1;  some 
were  unable  to  bear  the  <glory  of  heroes)  as  white  lotus  groups 
are  unable  to  bear  the  <rays  of  the  sun).  And  2 having  regarded 
them  one  by  one,  [149]  the  princess  retired  from  the  dais  with 
loveless  heart. 

‘ Then  in  a dream  3 that  very  night  she  saw  a youth  adorned 
with  an  <armlet>  as  Vali  was  adorned  by  <Angada>  ; <with  pearls 
about  his  neck)  as  the  koel  <has  a sweet  note) ; skilful  in  attracting 
the  <fair>  as  the  golden  gazelle  was  skilful  in  attracting  <Rama> ; 
[150]  rejoicing  <the  ears  of  his  elders)  by  his  nectarous  words  as 
Jayanta  rejoiced  <Indra) ; <to  whom  gave  he  not  joy)  as  Krsna 
<gave  no  joy  to  Kamsa)?;  with  <swift-moving  hands)  as  a great 
cloud  has  <glittering  hail) 4 ; the  elemental  root  of  the  tree  of 
beauty5;  the  hill  of  ascent  for  the  jewel  of  passion6;  the 
mountain  of  origin  of  streams  of  delightful  stories 7 ; the  spring- 
tide  month  of  the  mango  of  dexterity ; the  mirror  of  the  face 
of  nobility8;  [151]  the  elemental  seed  of  the  tendrils  of  know- 
ledge ; the  chosen  spouse  of  glory 9 ; the  rival  house  to  LaksmT 
and  Sarasvatl 10 ; the  original  abode  of  proficiency  in  virtue  ; the 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ some  showed  <a  knowledge  of  crows>  as  the  troops  of  the  Kurus  showed 
<the  teaching  of  Drona).’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * and  immediately.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘in  a dream.’  For  instances  in  modern  folk-tales  of  the  heroine 
falling  in  love  with  the  hero  from  a dream  see  Frere,  Old  Deccan  Days,  2 ed.,  p.  119, 
London,  1870;  Temple,  Legends  of  the  Panjab,  2.  278-279;  3.  370-371,  Bombay, 
1884-1900;  Swynnerton,  Indian  Nights’  Entertainment,  pp.  248-251,  London,  1892 
(where,  as  in  the  Vasavadatta,  both  the  hero  and  the  heroine  dream  of  each  other). 

4 Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ with  <great  truthfulness  and  glory>  as  the  ocean  has  <great  beasts 
and  the  (Vadava)  fire>  ; composed,  as  it  were,  of  pure  rivers — his  hair  the  <Malini>,  for 
it  was  <garlanded>  ; his  nose  the  <Tungabhadra>,  for  it  was  <aquiline  and  graceful) ; his 
lip  the  <!s5na>,  for  it  was  <red> ; his  voice  the  <Narmada>,  for  it  <gave  pleasure)  ; his  arm 
the  <Goda>,  for  it  <gave  the  earth) ; and  his  fame  the  <Ganges>,  for  it  sustained  the 

heavens).’  So  also  the  Srirangam  text,  except  for  the  omission  of  * ewith  great  truth- 
fulness) ’ and  ‘ <great  beasts).’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ love.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ for  the  multitude  of  jewels  of  all  the  qualities.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘streams  of  stories  of  delightsome  love.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  1 the  mirror  of  beauty.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ Sarasvat!.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘glory  and  LaksmT.’ 


9o 


vAsavadattA 


treasury,  as  it  were,  of  great  loveliness  1 ; with  a form  seductive2 
in  the  threefold  world.  And  he  is  named  Kandarpaketu,  the 
son  of  a king  named  Cintamani.  And  even  in  sleep  she  heard 
his  name  and  the  like.3 

‘ Straightway  (she  thought) : “ O Prajapati ! This  I consider 
perfection  in  the  creation  of  beauty ! [152]  He  has  been  formed 
by  the  Lote-Born  God,4  who,  with  his  mind  eager  to  behold  the 
loveliness  of  his  own  skill,5  took  the  atoms  of  beauty  inherent 
in  the  threefold  world  0 ! Otherwise,  how  is  there  possibly  such 
perfect  grace  in  him  ? In  vain  did  DamayantI  endure  the  hard- 
ship of  dwelling  in  the  forest7  for  Nala’s  sake.  [153]  Uselessly 
did  Indumatl,  even  though  a queen,  become  enamoured  of  Aja.8 
Fruitlessly  Sakuntala  suffered  the  curse  of  Durvasas  for  Dus- 
manta’s  sake.  To  no  purpose  Madanamanjarl  loved  Naravahana- 
datta.9  [154]  In  vain  was  Rambha,  whose  thighs  surpassed  the 
plantain,10  enamoured  of  Nalakubara.  Fruitlessly  did  Dhumorna 
long  for  Yama  among  the  thousands  of  Gandharvas,  Ganas,  and 
many  gods  11  who  came  to  her  self-choice.”  12 

[155]  ‘Thus  meditating  in  many  ways,  as  if  she  had  ascended 
the  midst  of  the  fire  of  separation,  as  if  she  were  swallowed  up 
by  the  flame  of  the  Vadava  fire,13  as  if  she  were  devoured  by  the 
awful  fire  of  the  flame  of  the  Last  Day,14  as  if  she  had  entered 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘the  treasury  of  the  wealth  of  great  loveliness.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘delightful.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ even  in  sleep  she  heard  his  name  and  the  like,  that 
“ he  is  Kandarpaketu,  the  son  of  a king  named  Cintamani.”  ’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ formed  by  the  Creator.’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  his  mind  eager  to  behold  his  skill  all  at  once.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ beauty  of  the  totality  of  the  threefold  world.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ endure  hardship  in  the  forest.’ 

8 See  Raghuvaviia,  6.  8.  9 This  legend  is  apparently  now  lost. 

10  See  Ramayana  7.  26.  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ who  surpassed  the  plantain  on  the  slopes  of 
Mount  Meru  by  the  massiness  of  her  thighs.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ among  the  hosts  of  gods.’  The  allusion  is  apparently 
based  on  Rig- Veda  10.  10. 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ vainly  Rddhi  found  Kubera  among  the  Gan- 
dharvas and  Yaksas.  Fruitlessly  the  mind  of  Puloman’s  daughter  clave  to  the  Lord  of 
the  Gods  (Indra).’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ flame  of  the  fire  of  love.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  if  seized  by  the  fire  of  Spring,  as  if  devoured  by 
the  awful  flame  of  the  southern  breeze.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


91 


into  the  caverns  of  hell 1 ; thinking  of  Kandarpaketu  as  if  he 
were  carven  on  her  heart,  which  was  emptied  of  all  its  faculties,2 
as  if  he  were  engraved  there,  inlaid,  riveted,  swallowed  up,  joined 
by  strongest  cement,3  entered  into  the  frame  of  her  bones,  within 
her  vitals,  flecked  with  her  marrow’s  pith,  enveloped  in  her  breath, 
placed  in  her  inmost  soul,  [156]  liquefied  in  her  sheltering4  blood, 
distributed  through  her  flesh  ; as  if  mad,5  as  if  deaf,  as  if  dumb, 
as  if  listless,  as  if  abandoning  all  her  faculties,  as  if  swooning,  as 
if  blasted  by  a planet,  as  if  surrounded  by  a series  of  the  billows  6 
of  the  sea  of  youth,  as  if  enveloped  by  the  bonds  of  love,  as  if 
pierced  by  Kama’s  flowery  arrows,  as  if  reeling  from  the  venom 
of  the  thought  of  love,7  as  if  shaken  8 by  the  arrows  of  the  con- 
templation of  beauty,  as  if  bereft  of  life  by  the  winds  of  Malaya 
(she  exclaimed) : “ Dear  friend  Anangalekha,  put  thy  lotus  hand 
upon  my  heart ! The  pain  of  separation  is  hard  to  bear  ! Foolish 
Madanamanjari,  [157]  sprinkle  sandal  water  9 * * ! Simple  Vasanta- 
sena,  bind  my  heavy  hair ! Fickle  Tarangavatl,  scatter  the 
screw-pines’  pollen  10 ! Gauche  Madanamalinl,  fan  me  with  bits 
of  saivala 11 ! Trivial  Citralekha,12 *  trace  in  a picture 13  the  thief  of 
my  thoughts  ! Noble14  Vilasavatl,  scatter  an  abundance  of  pearl- 
dust  15 ! Passionate  Ragalekha,  cover  my  bosom  with  a quantity 
of  lotus  leaves  ! Dear  16  Kantimatl,  gently 17  wipe  away  my  tear- 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * into  the  house  of  the  hell  of  madness.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘as  if  emptied  of  all  her  faculties  ; thinking  of  Kandarpaketu  as  if  he 
were  carven  on  her  heart.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ adamant.’  4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  1 sheltering.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ as  if  blind.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ rolling  billows.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ from  the  poisonous  fluid  of  the  thought  of  love.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ pierced.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ sprinkle  my  limbs  with  sandal  water  ’ ! 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ scatter  the  screw-pines’  pollen  on  my  limbs  1 ! 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  a bunch  of  'saivala  ' ; Srirangam  text,  4 make  a bracelet  with  a bunch 

of  saivala  ’ 1 

,12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ Citrarekha.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 on  a tablet.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ beautiful.’ 

15  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  4 on  my  limbs.’ 

16  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ most  dear.’ 

17  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 very  gently.’ 


92 


vAsavadattA 


drops1!  [158]  Come,  good  Sleep!  Be  kind  to  me!  Alas! 
what  is  the  use  of  my  remaining  faculties  ? Only  too  truly  my 
other  members  were  not  made  an  eye  by  the  Creator ! Lord 
of  the  Flowery  Weapons,  this  the  supplication  to  thee : ‘ Attend 
thou  upon  a man  of  such  a sort’2!  [159]  Breeze  of  Malaya, 
that  teacheth  to  behold  the  woe  3 of  love,  blow  as  thou  wilt  ; my 
life  is  gone  ” ! Thus  speaking  in  phrases  manifold,  she  4 swooned, 
together  with  her  friends. 

‘ Straightway,  having  her  life  revived  by  the  exertions  of  her 
servants,  now 5 6 upon  the  strand  of  the  bank  of  a river0  of  exceed- 
ing cool  camphor  water,  now  on  the  shore  of  a stream  of  most 
chill  sandal-wood  water,  now  in  the  shade  of  trees 7 on  the  banks 
of  pools  covered  with  forests  of  lotuses,8  [160]  now  in  plantain 
groves  whose  leaves  were  swayed  by  the  wind,  now  on  couches 
of  flowers,9  now  on  beds  of  lotus-leaves,10  with  her  body  burned 
by  the  fierce  separation-fire  of  the  collection  of  the  rays  of  the 
twelve  suns  arisen  at  the  time  of  the  world’s  destruction,  exces- 
sively emaciated,  and,  as  it  were,  lifeless  11  (she  cried) : “ His  lotus 
mouth  with  its  lote-like  lower  lip  overspread  with  a smile  white 
as  the  lustre  of  the  tremulous  waves  of  the  milk-ocean  agitated 
by  mighty,  trembling  Mandara12!  [1 61]  His  pair  of  eyes 
enamoured  of  his  <ears>  as  a company  of  Brahmans  is  enamoured 
of  <Holy  Writ>  ! The  beauty  of  his  straight  nose  which  is  spread 
full 13  far  abroad,  as  if  eager  to  breathe  the  innate  perfume  of 
his  fragrant  mouth  ! His  row  of  teeth  lovely  as  a digit  of  the 


1 Tel.  ed.  adds  1 Yuthika,  jasmine-adorned,  agitate  the  damp  winds  with  a fan  of 
bits  of  plantain  ’ ! ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ bits  of  reed.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ be  thou  obedient  to  one  like  me  ’ ! 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ great  joy.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Vasavadatta.’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ led  by  her  attendants.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ on  the  bank  of  a river  filled  with.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ sandal-wood  trees.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘with  very  red  dhak-trzts,  lotuses,  and  kadambas' ; similarly  the  Sriran- 
gam text. 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ shoots  of  flowers.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ now  on  rocks  cooled  by  masses  of  camphor.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘devoid  of  strength.’  12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ very  greatly  agitated.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  * full.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


93 


moon  freed  from  blemish  and  white  as  a mass  of  foamy  milk  1 ! 
His  beauty  never  seen  before,  surpassing  Kama 2 ! Those 
blessed  places  and  people,  the  pure  letters  of  his  name,  [162]  and 
the  righteous  things  which  have  been  adorned  by  him  ” 3 ! 

‘ Over  and  over  thinking  thus,  as  if  he  were  painted  on  the 
quarters  and  sub-quarters  4 (of  the  sky),  as  if  he  were  engraved 
on  the  cloud,  as  if  he  were  reflected  in  her  eye,  she  painted  him 
in  a picture  as  if  he  had  been  seen  before,  and  kept  gazing  here 
and  there.5  Then  her  confidante,  named  Tamalika,  having 
regarded  her  together  with  her  friends,  was  sent  to  observe  the 
feelings  of  Kandarpaketu  ; [163]  and  she  came  with  me  and  is 
standing  right  here  beneath  the  tree.’ 6 

So  speaking,  he  (the  parrot)  ceased.  Then  Makaranda,  rising 
joyfully,  told  Tamalika  of  the  affair;  and  she,  courtesying,  pre- 
sented an  epistle  to  Makaranda.7  Then  he 8 read  it  himself : 

[164]  ‘E’en  when  her  eyes  behold  her  lover  true, 

A maiden  wavereth  ’twixt  hope  and  fear; 

But  when  she  only  dreameth  of  his  troth, 

Ah,  then,  what  fond  assurance  can  she  have  ’ 9 ? 

1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘white  as  the  foam  of  delicate  nectar  from  a collection  of  the  digits’; 
Srirangam  text,  ‘ beautiful  as  a collection  of  the  digits.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ his  beauty,  surpassing  Kama  in  visible  form’ ! 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ those  blessed  places,  those  pure  people,  the  lucky 
letters  of  his  name,  the  things  adorned  by  him  ’ ! 

4 Srirangam  text  omits  ‘ sub-quarters.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ she  kept  looking  for  him  here  and  there  as  if  he  were  painted  on  the  sky, 
reflected  in  her  eye,  or  seen  before  in  a picture  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

6 Cf.  Gray,  ‘ Literary  Studies  on  the  Sanskrit  Novel,’  in  WZKM.  18.  43-45,  48-49, 
for  paintings  of  beloved  objects ; and  for  instances  of  love  letters  and  confidantes  as  love 
messengers  in  modern  Indian  tales  see  Tempi  z, Legends  of  the  Punjab,  1.237;  2-  280-283, 
295-297;  3.  372-375,  Bombay,  1884-1900;  Knowles,  Folk-Tales  of  Kashmir,  2 ed., 
p.  68,  London,  1893;  Swynnerton,  Romantic  Tales  from  the  Panjab,  p.  389,  West- 
minster, 1903,  and  Indian  Nights'  Enlertaimnent,  pp.  171,  252,  London,  1892.  Cf. 
also  Cimmino,  L'  Uso  delle  didascalie  nel  dramma  indiano,  pp.  35-36,  Naples,  1912. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then  Kandarpaketu,  rising  joyfully  and  calling  Tama- 
lika, made  known  the  state  of  affairs.  She,  courtesying,  presented  him  an  epistle.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘then  Makaranda,  taking  it,  read  it  himself’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘then 
Makaranda,  taking  and  untying  the  epistle,  read  it  himself.’  For  the  confidant  not 
only  reading  the  heroine’s  love  letter  to  the  hero,  but  also  writing  one  to  her  for  him, 
see  Swynnerton,  Indian  Nights’  Entertainment,  pp.  171,  252,  London,  1892. 

9 The  literal  translation  of  this  stanza  is  given  above,  Introduction,  p.  26. 


94 


VASAVADATTA 


Hearing  this,  Kandarpaketu,  being  above  all  joy  1 as  if  plunged 
in  the  ocean  of  ambrosia,  rising  slowly  2 with  both  his  arms  out- 
stretched, embraced  Tamalika.  Then,  asking  her 3 the  entire 
story  of  Vasavadatta, — ‘ What  does  she  do  ? What  does  she 
say  ? How  is  she  ’ ? and  the  like — Kandarpaketu  set  forth, 
having  passed  the  night  there,  and  likewise  the  day.4 

[165]  Meanwhile  even  that  Blessed  One  whose  garland  is  rays 
had  descended  to  the  middle  world  as  if  to  tell  the5  story. 
Then  into  the  water  of  the  western  sea  sank  the  jewel  of  day, 
having  the  form  of  the  disc  in  the  crest  of  the  cock  of  day; 
moving  slowly,  as  if  because  of  the  grief  brought  upon  multitudes6 
of  Brahminy  ducks  ; charming  with  clusters  of  the  flowers  of  the 
coral-tree 7 ; possessed  of  the  loveliness  of  the  frontal  lobes  of 
Indra’s  elephant,  splashed  with  red  lead 8 ; with  a circlet  like 
unto  an  earring  of  the  jewel  in  the  hood  of  the  monstrous 
Vasuki,  undulating  beneath  the  bond  of  the  mass 9 of  tangled 
locks  of  Siva,  shaken  by  the  impetuous  motion  of  his  revel  dance; 
[166]  delightful  as  a mass  10  of  succulent  barley  to  a bulling  cow 
at  evening  11 ; with  the  beauty  of  a ruddy 12  jewelled  earring  of  a 
courtesan  of  the  west 13 14  ; formed  like  the  rounded  shoulder  of  the 
buffalo  of  day,  cloven  by  the  sword  of  blackness  14  ; [167]  the 
Black  Ascetic’s  begging-bowl,  as  it  were,  filled  with  honey 15 ; 
seeming  to  be  the  beauty  of  the  clouds  with  clusters  of  unfading 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ deeming  himself,  as  it  were,  above  all  joy.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ very  slowly.’ 

3 Srirangam  text,  ‘ and  then,  sitting  with  her,  he  asked  her.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Kandarpaketu,  with  her  and  his  friend,  set  forth 
from  that  place,  having  passed  the  day  exactly  there.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ this.’  6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ hearts.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘coral-tree  of  the  western  mount.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ coloured  with  a line  of  red  lead.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.,  * in  the  hood  of  monstrous  undulating  Vasuki,  bound  in  the  diadem  of 

the  mass  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

10  Srirangam  text,  ‘ dish.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘delightful  as  a moist  line  of  lac  to  a woman  at  evening.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ ruddy.’ 

13  Srirangam  text,  ‘earring  of  Varuna’s  darling.’ 

14  Is  there  here  a covert  allusion  to  the  victory  of  Kali  (Durga)  over  the  demon  Mahisa  ? 
16  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  skull,  filled  with  sweet  honey,  of  the  Celestial 

Ascetic.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


95 


flowers ; like  unto  a cluster 1 from  the  ushoka- tree  of  heaven  ; the 
golden  mirror,  so  to  say,  of  a wanton  of  the  west2;  with  the 
aspect  of  a branch  of  a coral-tree  shaken  by  the  motion  of  the 
tossing  waves. 

And  3 gradually,  [i 68]  when  the  trees  had  their  tops  melodious 
with  the  soft  notes  of  multitudes  of  sparrows,  free  from  quarrels 
with  each  other  4 and  desirous  of  their  nests  after  having  rolled 
in  the  dust  and  flown  up  again ; when  the  crows  were  eager  for 
home ; when  the  inner  apartments  5 gave  forth  the  fragrance  of 
the  incense  of  aloes  burning  constantly ; when  the  old  men  were 
angered  at  interruptions 6 from  the  confused  murmur  of  young 
folks  eager  to  hear  the  poetic 7 tales  begun  by  the  sages  seated  on 
the  banks  of  the  Tatini,  adorned  with  millet-grass  ; when  the 
children  longed  for  slumber,  soothed  with  very  light  hands  by  old 
women 8 who  told  them  stories  9 with  tongues  tremulous  in  the 
lullaby ; [169]  when  the  courtesans  had  assumed  the  insignia  of 
passion ; when  the  sages  had  entered  upon  their  evening  devo- 
tions, disgusted  at  hearing  manifold  obscene  words  10  from  harlots 
possessed  by  their  paramours  11 ; when  the  forest  regions  had  the 
surfaces  of  the  veiy  soft  sites  of  cow-stalls  occupied  by  herds  of 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘clusters  of  flowers.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘<going  toward  the  west)  and  «red»  as  Bhadra  was  <addicted  to 
brandy)  and  was  «amorous»;  abandoning  <its  rays)  and  «cloudy»  as  a foolish  man 
abandons  <his  wealth)  and  is  «dejected)> ; with  red  <rays>  as  a Buddhist  mendicant  has 
red  <garments>  ; possessed  of  <understanding>  as  the  sun  was  possessed  of  <Samjna>  ’ ; 
so  also  the  Srirangam  text,  except  ‘ mighty  Bhadra  ’ for  1 Bhadra  ’ and  ‘ poor  man  ’ for 
‘ foolish  man.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ then  Srirangam  text,  ‘ and  then.’  This  entire  sentence  is  translated 
and  compared  with  Harsacarita,  Jamnu  ed.,  1879,  PP-  3°>  2_3 6,  4 (tr.  Cowell  and 
Thomas,  pp.  67-68,  London,  1897),  by  Cartellieri,  ‘ Subandhu  and  Bana,’  in  IVZKM. 
1.  118-124. 

4 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ with  each  other.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ interstices  in  the  lattices  of  the  inner  apartments.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘filled  with  anger  at  the  sound  of’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘desirous  of  the 
cessation  of  the  sound  of.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ poetic.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ when  the  children,  longing  for  slumber,  were  attended  by  old  women 
who  were  pleased  at  being  patted  by  very  light  hands  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ many  stories.’ 

10  Srirangam  text,  ‘ had  their  ears  disgusted  by  hundreds  of  obscene  words.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ when  fair  women  were  disgusted  . . . ; when  the  sages  had  entered 
upon  their  evening  devotions.’ 


96 


VASAVADATTA 


antelopes  slowly  ruminating ; when  the  thick  woods  1 had  nests 
filled  with  multitudes  of  sleepy  crows2;  [170]  when  the  trees  of 
the  hermitages3  had4  families  of  monkeys  without  their  monkey 
tricks 5 ; when  the  flocks  of  owls  that  dwelt  in  huts  within  the 
hollows  of  aged  trees  were  eager  to  set  out ; when  the  lamplight 
flashed  forth  6 as  if  the  tips 7 of  the  rays  of  the  sun  had  burst  into 
a flame,  going  forth  to  affright  the  darkness ; when  He  8 whose 
banner  is  a fish,  who  steals  the  mind  of  all  the  world,9  and  who 
hath  a resonant  bow,  was  unceasingly  10  raining  a shower  of 
arrows;  [171]  when  the  courtesans,  lovely  in  their  attire  of 
passion’s  task 11  and  devoted  to  bawdy  talk,  were  arranging  their 
adornment ; when  women  had  their  hips  resonant  with  girdle- 
zones  12  bound  on  by  their  attendants  ; [172]  when  the  courtyards 
had  people  hurrying  to  go  to  the  houses  of  many  folk13  who  were 
continuing  their  narration  of  interrupted  tales  14  ; when  the  pleasure 
gardens  15  were  inhabited  by  the  cocks ; when  the  peacocks  had 
ascended  their  perches ; when  the  householders  had  performed 
the  duties  of  eventide ; when  the  swarms  of  bees  were  reposing 16 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ clumps  of  village  trees.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text, 1 ravens  awakening  from  sleep.’ 

3 Srirangam  text,  ‘ trees  in  the  gardens.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ were  filled  with.’  [noisy  cries.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ when  the  trees  in  the  gardens  had  flocks  of  cranes  devoid  of  their 

6 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ forth.’  7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ branches.’ 

8 Kama.  9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ all  things  living.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  * unceasingly.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ charming  and  lovely  in  passion’s  attire.’  12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ girdle-adornments.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ houses  of  tellers  of  tales.’ 

14  On  the  popularity  of  telling  stories  at  night  in  India  see  Steel  and  Temple,  Wide- 
Awake  Stories , pp.  vii,  2-3,  Bombay,  1884 ; Swynnerton,  Raja  Rasalu,  p.  152,  Calcutta, 
1884 ; Day,  Folk-Tales  of  Bengal,  p.  176,  London,  1883.  According  to  some  Oriental 
traditions  (Rohde,  Griechischer  Roman,  2 ed.,  p.  593,  Leipzig,  1900),  telling  stories  at 
night  was  imported  from  Greece  to  India  by  Alexander  the  Great.  But  the  custom 
prevails  widely,  being  found,  for  instance,  among  the  natives  of  Gniana  (Im  Thnm, 
Among  the  Indians  of  Guiana,  p.  216,  London,  1883),  the  North  American  Indians 
(Waitz,  Anthropologie  der  Nalurv'blker,  3. 234-235,  Leipzig,  1862),  the  Micronesians  (ib. 
5. 2.81,  Leipzig,  1870),  the  Africans  (Nassau,  Fetichism  in  West  Africa,^.  330,  London, 
1904  ; Struyf,  ‘ Aus  dem  Marchenschatz  der  Bakongo  (Niederkongo),’  in  Anthropos,  3. 
742),  and  in  Europe  generally  (MacCulloch,  Childhood  of  Fiction,  p.  2,  London,  1905). 
It  should  also  be  noted  that  the  entire  story  of  the  parrot  in  the  Kadambari  (pp.  101, 
614-615,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr.  Ridding,  pp.  46,  203,  London,  1896))  is  told  at  night. 

15  Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘of  the  Kiratas’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘ of  Kirata  houses.’ 

16  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ in  crooked  beds.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


97 


in  huts  within  the  hollows  of  lotus-buds,  narrow  because  the  tips 
of  their  filaments  were  bent  up  and  down  1 in  their  contraction  2 ; 
— then,  with  the  thought : ‘ By  this  path  the  lordly  shining  (sun) 
must  go’ ! the  lordly  twilight  was  seen,  as  if  with  raiment  of  all 
manner  of  cloth 3 ; as  if  a continuous  tessellated  pavement  ot 
jewels  made  by  Ocean4  ; [173]  as  if  containing  the  blood  of  the 
buffalo  of  day,  cloven  by  blackness 5 ; as  if  a coral-creeper  of 
the  great  ocean  of  the  sky  6 ; as  if  the  red  lotus  of  the  pool  of  the 
heavens  ; as  if  the  golden  bridge 7 of  the  progress  8 of  Kama  ; as 
if  the  madder-hued,  ruddy  banner  of  the  palace  of  the  sky  ; with 
a yellow  <sky>  as  at  her  self-choice  Laksmi  chose  Him9  of  the 
yellow  <robes>;  devoted  to  the  <stars>  and  with  a red  «atmosphere» 
as  a female  (Buddhist)  ascetic  is  devoted  to  (Tara)  and  wears  red 
«garments».10 

And  straightway 11 — while  the  courtesans  seemed  to  be  pupils  12 
of  the  twilight  skilled  in  (arrangements  of  pleasure-giving 
(musical)  modes>,  for  they  were  skilled  in  (amorous  tricks  of 
night)13;  [174]  while  the  sky  seemed  to  be  a street  of  shops 
devoid  of  (them  that  hold  the  balance),  for  it  was  devoid  of  (the 
sustainers  14  of  Libra) ; while  the  lotuses  had  the  folds  of  their 
buds  tightly  15 16  closed  ; while  bees 10  wandered  here  and  there  over 


I Tel.  ed.,  ‘ bent  high  up.’  2 Srirangam  text,  ‘ instantaneous  contraction.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  raiment  of  cloth  on  every  side’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ made  by  Ocean  for  the  sun.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘cloven  by  the  sword  of  blackness.’  Is  there  here 

a covert  allusion  to  the  victory  of  Kali  (Durga)  over  the  demon  Mahisa  ? 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ creeper  of  the  western  ocean.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * golden  banner.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ chariot.’  9 Visnu. 

10  Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ (reddened  with  buds)  as  a courtesan  is  (addicted  to  paramours)  ; 
with  (liver-red  clouds)  as  a beautiful  woman  has  (her  breasts  copper-coloured  with 
saffron) ; with  reddish  (stars)  as  an  ichneumon  has  reddish  (eyes)  ’ ; so  also  the 

Srirangam  text,  except  ‘ fair-faced  dame  ’ for  ‘ courtesan.’ 

II  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then  straightway.’ 

12  Srirangam  text  omits  1 pupils.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ when  the  courtesans  were  skilled,  as  it  were,  in  nightly  amours ; when 
the  flashing  lamplights  seemed  to  be  pupils  of  the  twilight’;  with  no  attempt  at 
paronomasia. 

14  The  moon,  etc.,  according  to  Sivarama. 

15  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ tightly.’ 

16  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 swarms  of  bees.’ 


H 


98 


vAsavadattA 


the  lotus-pool  as  representatives  of  the  darkness1;  [175]  while 
the  lotuses,  love-lorn  through  separation  from  the  sun,  seemed  to 
wail  under  the  semblance  of  the  cries 2 of  distressed  female 
ospreys  3 ; while  the  early  evening  seemed  an  astrologer  <pointing 
out  the  houses),  for  it  <revealed  the  constellations) — there  spread 
darkness  like  the  blackness  of  the  column 4 of  Siva’s  throat ; 
[176]  with  most  goodly  <stars>  as  the  army  of  the  demons  had  the 
most  goodly  cTaraka)  5 ; increasing  the  outcry  of  the  Cowls)  as  the 
combat  of  the  Bharatas  increased  the  outcry  of  cUluka)6  ; dulling 
the  glory  of  the  Ccrows)  as  the  prowess  of  Dhrstadyumna  dulled 
the  glory  of  CDrona) ; with  Cowls)  moving  about  as  Indra’s 
pleasure  garden  had  Clndra)  moving  about ; Chiding  all  the 
quarters  of  the  sky)  as  fire7  Cconsumes  all  its  fuel);  [177]  resting 
its  belly,  as  it  were,  on  the  mountain  slopes  with  their  very  close 
fragments  of  stone8 ; with  its  eye,  so  to  say,  on  peaks  that  were 
red  with  lustre 9 from  the  light  of  the  eyes  of  sleeping  lions 10 ; 
seeming  to  have  life  through  the  fire-flies;  apparently  increased 
by  the  columns  of  smoke  from  oblations  ; made  dense,  as  it  were, 
by  masses  of  aloes-wood  smoke11  in  adorning  the  heavy  tresses  of 
amorous  girls;  [178]  seeming  to  be  illumined  by  spray  from  the 
stream  of  ichor  from  12  elephants’  temples  blackened  by  swarms  of 
bees  clustering  right  closely  together 13 ; heaped,  if  one  might  say 
so,  in  the  shadows  of  clumps  14  of  dense  tamala- trees  ; apparently 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ repelled  by  the  darkness.’ 

2 Srirangam  text,  ‘ notes.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ while  the  lotuses,  standing  in  water  coloured  by 
the  reflected  hue  of  twilight,  seemed  filled  with  fire  through  the  pain  of  their  hearts  at 
the  destruction  of  their  spouses.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ column.’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ revealing  the  <stars>  as  the  army  of  the  demons 
revealed  <Taraka>.’ 

6 Srirangam  text,  ‘ of  Uluka  and  3akuni  ’ ; cf.  Mahabharata,  5.  161. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  flame  of  fire.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ rough  with  their  very  close  stones.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ splendour  of  the  lustre.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ lions  awakened  from  sleep.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ aloes-wood’  and  ‘heavy’;  Srirangam  text  omits  ‘aloes-wood.’ 

12  Srirangam  text,  ‘ dripping  ichor  fallen  from.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ seeming  to  be  illumined  by  very  thick  swarms  of  black  bees ; blackened, 
as  it  were,  by  the  spray  of  dripping  ichor  fallen  from  elephants’  temples.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ forest  clusters.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


99 


lurking  in  the  hoods  of  serpents,  swart  as  lampblack  ; the  mantle, 
as  it  were,  of  a woman  who  keeps  an  assignation  by  night  ; the 
remedy,  if  it  might  so  be  termed,  for  the  gray  hair  of  an  aged 
courtesan1 ; the  offspring  of  life,  one  might  say  ; the  friend,  as  it 
were,  of  the  iron  age;  [179]  the  comrade,  in  all  seeming,  of  a 
rogue’s  heart 2 ; <concealing>  manifest  objects  as  Buddhist 
doctrines  <deny>  manifest  objects.  It  was  darkness  which 
seemed  to  delight  in  the  enchanting  round  lobes  of  absolutely 
must  elephants 3 ; which  apparently  yielded  fruit  in  forests  of 
clusters  of  wide-spreading  tamala- trees  with  exceedingly  close  and 
numerous  leaves  4 ; which  trembled,  as  it  were,  in  the  masses  of 
very  5 heavy  tresses  of  dearest  sweethearts  ; which  apparently  was 
mingled  with  rays  of  sapphire  gems  6 ; [180]  which  was  like  the 
exceeding  dense  blackness  in  pits,  on  river-banks,  and  in  forests7 ; 
which  was  proud,  it  would  seem,  of  swarms  of  bees,  manifestly 
cunning,  huge,  and  evidently  strong,  drunkenly  dancing  on  the 
boughs  of  the  conessi-bark  trees  8 ; gleaming  with  the  hoods  of 
serpents,  destructive  2 with  very  thick  venom  ; broken 10  with 
menacing  flashes  from  the  teeth  of  tuskers,  mad  with  their  burden 
of  ichor.11 

[181]  And  at  the  time  of  the  rising  of  the  moon  with  its  black- 
ness of  night,  bowing  low,  as  it  were,  with  folded  hands  under  the 

I Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘courtesans.’  2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘rogues’  hearts.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘in  the  lobes  of  must  elephants’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘in  the  enchanting 
lobes  of  herds  of  must  elephants.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ in  swarms  of  bees,  manifestly  cunning,  huge,  and  evidently  strong, 
hidden  in  the  calyxes  of  great  expanded  flowers  on  the  boughs  of  many  trees  in  the 
forests  of  clusters  of  wide-spreading  tamdla-tvees  with  exceedingly  close  and  numerous 
leaves.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ very  ’ and  ‘dearest’ ; Srirangam  text  omits  ‘very.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘gems.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ forests.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  omits  this  description  ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ swarms  of  bees,  manifestly 
cunning,  huge,  and  strong,  with  their  feet  hidden  in  the  calyxes  of  great  expanded 
flowers  on  the  boughs  of  many  trees.’ 

9 Srirangam  text,  ‘ destructive  to  elephants.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ utterly  broken.’ 

II  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ burden  of  ichor ; with  the  <zone  of  earth>  folded  up  as  the  commence- 
ment of  sunrise  has  <blue  lotuses)  folded  up ; concealing  <every  fissure)  as  the  high  estate 
of  the  wicked  conceals  <all  character)  ; bowing,  as  it  were,  with  folded  hands  under  the 
guise  of  closing  blue  lotuses  to  the  night  which  had  come’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

H 2 


xoo 


vAsavadattA 


guise  of  closing  blue  lotuses,  immediately  1 the  stars  shone  forth, 
scattered  like  drops  of  the  stream  of  water  of  Jahnu’s  daughter 
wandering  in  the  winding  hollows  of2  the  mass  of  matted  locks 
of  Siva,  shaken  by  the  fury  of  his  twilight  dance  ; showers  3 of 
drops,  one  might  say,  shed  from  the  trunks4  of  the  herd  of 
terrible  must  5 world-elephants  bowed  with  the  burden  of  bear- 
ing 6 the  earth,  hard  to  sustain7 ; [182]  masses  of  foam,  as  it  were, 
poured  out  by  the  steeds  s of  day,  weary  of  wandering  in  the  far 
distant  sky  ; giving  rise  to  the  suspicion  that  they  might  be  a grove 
of  white  lotuses 9 in  the  great  ocean  of  the  heavens  ; like  ciphers 10 
because  of  the  nullity  of  metempsychosis,  scattered 11  in  the  sky  as 
if  on  the  ink-black  skin  rug  of  the  Creator  who  reckoneth  the  sum 
total  with  a bit  of  the  moon  for  chalk  ; parched  grain,  it  would 
seem,  sown  by  the  hand  of  Rati,  (the  wife)  of  Him  whose  banner 
is  a dolphin,12  and  who  setteth  forth  to  conquer 13  the  threefold 
world  ; [183]  like  globules14  on  the  pearly  arrows  of  Him  of  the 
flowery  bow12 ; masses15  of  foam,  as  it  were,  in  the  ocean  of  the  sky  ; 
handfuls  of  cosmetic,  so  to  say,  prepared  by  Rati  in  the  courts  16 
of  heaven  ; multitudes 17  of  pearls,  one  might  fancy,  in  the  neck- 
lace of  the  LaksmI  of  the  heavens ; fragments  of  the  bones  of 
Kama,  in  all  seeming,  scattered  by  the  wind’s  impulse18  from  the 
circle  of  the  pyre  of  the  moon19  ; [184]  like  the  semblance  of 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 then  immediately.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * wandering  in  her  devious  roamings  in.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ wide-spread  showers.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ cheeks.’  6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  1 must.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ bowed  with  bearing.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ hard  to  bear.’  [the  mouths  of  the  steeds.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * broad  masses  of  foam  on  the  edges  of  the  cavities  of 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ mass  of  white  lotuses.’ 

10  Literally  ‘ points  ’ (cf.  the  form  of  the  null  sign  in  the  Bakhsali  Manuscript).  On  the 
importance  of  this  passage  for  the  history  of  the  Arabic  (properly,  Hindu)  numerals  see 
Biihler,  Indische  Paldographie , p.  78,  Strassburg,  1896  ; cf.  also  Smith  and  Karpinski, 
Hindu- Arabic  Numerals,  pp.  51-54,  New  York,  1911. 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ painted.’  12  Kama. 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ in  desire  of  conquest  over.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * scattered  globules.’ 

15  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ wide-spread  masses.’  16  Tel.  ed.,  * in  the  delimitation  of.’ 

17  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ torn-off  multitudes  of  pearls  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ old  multitudes  of  pearls.’ 

18  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ entrance.’ 

19  Tel.  ed.,  ‘from  the  circle  of  the  pyre  of  Kama,  burnt  by  the  Destroyer’s  (Siva’s) 
fire’;  similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


JOI 


parched  grain  1 roasted  in  the  pan  2 of  the  vast  surface  3 of  the 
sky,  that  was  excessively  heated  by  the  evening  breeze  and 
smoky  with  the  smoke  4 of  rising  dusk. 

With  them  the  sky  shone  as  if  turned  to  a leper.5  Exceed- 
ingly distressed  6 was  the  pair  of  cakravakas,  filled  with  a series 
of  <deep  7 sighs>  and  skilled  in  the  joining  of  «bills  in  delightful 
contact»  as  the  diction  of  a good  poet 3 is  filled  with  a series 
of  <long9  chapters)  and  skilled  in  the  joining  of  «delightful 
paronomasias  and  vaktra  metres^).10  [185]  Separated  was  the 
pair  of  Brahminy  ducks,  whose  feet  were  variegated  by  swarms  of 
bees  delighted  and  intoxicated  by  the  honey-drops  that  adhered 
from  their  course  through  the  clusters  11  of  lotuses,  and  who  were 
parted  by  the  incarnate  curse 12  of  darkness  as  if  by  the  noose  13  of 
Death.  [186]  The  pair  of  Brahminy  ducks  was  parted  like  the 
heart  of  a lotus,  distressed  by  separation  from  the  sun.  A swarm 
of  bees  was  seen  moving  beside  a lotus  as  if  they  were  the  mes- 
sengers of  the  husband  moon  about  to  come.  Under  the  guise  of 
stars  14  the  quarters  of  the  sky  made  lamentation  with  great  drops 
of  tears,15  as  if  in  grief  for  the  departed  Lord  of  Day.16  Under  the 
guise  of  its  series  of  new  filaments  the  lotus  burned  within  the 
heart  of  its  bud  like  a fire  of  chaff 17  at  separation  from  its  shining 
love. 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ parched  grain  bursted.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ kitchen.’  3 Srirangam  text  omits  ‘ vast  surface.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ with  the  smoke.’ 

5 According  to  a reading  recorded  by  ^ivarama,  ‘ with  them  the  sky  shone  as  if 

spotted.’  6 Srirangam  text,  ‘ then  exceedingly  distressed.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘very  deep.’  8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ good  poetry.’  9 Tel.  ed.,  ‘very  long.’ 

10  See  Weber,  Ueber  die  Metrik  der  Inder,  p.  199,  Berlin,  1863;  Tel.  ed.,  ‘parono- 
masias, vaktra  metres,  and  cakras  ’ (the  latter  being  a carmen  figuration  in  the  form  of 
a disc;  cf.  Kavyaprakdsa,  tr.  Jha,  p.  197,  Benares,  1898  ; Vidagdhamukhamaiidana, 
3.  12-15,  Haeberlin  in  his  Kavyasaiigraha , pp.  290-291,  Calcutta,  1S47). 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘clusters.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ being  parted  as  if  by  the  curse.’ 

13  Yama,  the  god  of  death,  is  believed  to  draw  the  souls  of  the  dying  from  their 
bodies  by  means  of  a noose  or  cord. 

14  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ under  the  guise  of  drops  of  water  from  the  eyes  of  the  stars  ’ ; similarly 
the  Srirangam  text. 

15  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ with  great  drops  of  tears.’ 

16  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  departed  beloved  of  the  Lord  of  Day.’ 

17  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  chaff  fire  of  the  flame  of  grief  burned  in  the 
heart  of  the  lotus.’ 


102 


VASAVADATTA 


[187]  Forthwith1  black  darkness  spread  like  a mass  of  colly- 
rium  from  the  forest  of  the  sky,  reduced  to  ashes  by  the  rays  2 of 
the  sun  ; blotting  out  <the  heavens  and  the  sky>  as  the  words  of 
revelation  blot  out  <the  doctrines  of  the  Digambara  Jains>3;  a 
molten  rdjapatta  gem,4  as  it  were  ; and  as  the  surge  of  the  ocean.5 
And0  straightway  the  Lord  of  Night  ascended  with  the  ruddy 
disc  of  his  arising  ; the  ball7  of  the  princess  Night ; the  8 golden 
mirror  of  Kama ; like  to  a cluster  of  young  red  coral-flowers  on 
the  eastern  mount ; round  as  drops  of  saffron  on  the  foreheads 
of  eastern  damsels9 ; [188]  like  a golden  earring  of  the  beautiful 
sky ; a mass  of  henna,  as  it  were,  dropped  from  the  hands  of  tiring- 
maids  of  celestial  brides  ; a golden  jar,  it  would  seem,  in  the 
stucco  of  the  heavens  ; a golden 10  dish  in  motion,  it  might  be 
termed,  for  the  progress  of  the  God  of  the  Dolphin  Banner,  set- 
ting forth  for  the  conquest 11  of  the  threefold  world  ; stealing  the 
beauty  of  the  top  of  Kama’s  golden  quiver  ; possessed  of  the 
colour  of  the  China  roses  that  grow  on  the  topmost  peak  of 
the  eastern  mount ; a dish,  as  it  were,  filled  with  a ball  of  pellucid 
saffron  belonging  to  a wanton  of  the  night ; [189]  even  as  a single 12 
jar-like  breast,  tawny  with  saffron,  of  a fair  dame  of  the  east13; 
Coccupied  by  a gazelle>  as  the  milk  ocean  14  is  Cruled  by  Visnu> ; 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ by  the  forest  conflagration  of  the  rays.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ though  <Krsna>,  it  concealed  the  distinctive 
characteristics  of  «Visnu»,  for  it  was  <black>  and  concealed  the  distinctive  characteristics 
of  «all  forms».’ 

4 An  inferior  sort  of  diamond. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  running  streams  of  cloth  of  molten  silver.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ like  a patchwork  garment.’ 

* Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ like  the.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ round  as  sectarial  marks  of  bandhfeka-fiov/eTi 
fastened  to  the  forehead  as  adornments  of  eastern  damsels.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ auspicious.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘seeking  to  conquer.’  Tel.  ed.  omits  the  two  adjectives  following;  the 
Srirangam  text  omits  the  second  only,  having  for  the  first  * like  the  mouth  of  Kama’s 
golden  quiver.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  omits  * single.’ 

13  Srirangam  text  adds  ‘ a cage,  so  to  say,  for  the  pleasure  birds  of  the  female 
Vidyadharas  that  wander  in  the  sky ; the  lute-gourd,  wrapped  in  red  cloth,  one  might 
fancy,  of  a pair  of  kinnaras  resting  on  the  summit  of  the  eastern  mount.' 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Garuda.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


103 


<with  distinctive  marks)  as  Rama  was  <attended  by  Laksmana) 1 ; 
the  lord  of  the  <stars>  as  Sugrlva  was  the  lord  of  <Tara)  2 ; with 
a <red  disc)  as  a good  monarch  has  a <devoted  circle  (of  atten- 
dants)).3 

Then  4 the  glow  brought  close  to  night  went  to  destruction  as  if 
entered  into  the  heart  of  a loving  woman  ; as  if  drunk  by  the  cups 
of  the  eyes  5 of  female  chickores 6 ; [190]  as  if  licked  up  by  masses 
of  red  lotuses. 

Straightway  the  Lord  of  Planets7  ascended  like  a cake  of 
butter 8 exhibited  by  the  neatress  Night ; a mirror,  it  would 
seem,  bearing  the  beautiful  face  of  Him  whose  banner  is  of 
flowers9  ; the  white  umbrella,  as  it  were,  of  Him  whose  banner  is 
a dolphin ; the  round  ivory  hilt,  it  might  be  termed,  of  the  great 
sword  of  night  ; the  white  chowry,  one  would  fancy,  of  the  mighty 
King  of  Passion ; [1 91]  like  to  the  sandy  shore10  of  a Yamuna  of 
the  night ; the  crystal  linga,  so  to  speak,  of  the  Great  Ascetic  of 
the  heavens  ; the  egg  of  a black  serpent,  in  all  seeming  ; a shell, 
as  it  were,  of  the  great  celestial  sea  11 ; a monument,  one  might 
call  it,  to  Him  whose  banner  is  a dolphin  and  who  was  consumed 
by  the  Foe  of  Love 12 ; like  to  the  circle  of  the  pyre,  marked  with 
charcoal  in  dark  spots,  of  Him  who  was  born  of  fancy  ; apparently 
a white  lotus  of  the  Ganges  coursing  in  the  heavens  ; a mass  of 


1 See  Mahabharata , 3.  276. 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  <reddened  stars)  as  the  Lord  of  the  Monkeys  had 
<Tara’s  love) ; dear  to  <R5hinI  (the  fourth  lunar  mansion))  as  a bull  is  dear  to  the  <cow>.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  a <red  disc)  and  accompanied  by  «soft  rays))  as  a good  monarch 
has  a <devoted  circle  (of  attendants))  and  is  accompanied  by  «light  taxes))’ ; similarly 
the  Srirangam  text. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ then.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ pairs  of  eyes.’  According  to  the  conventions  of 
Sanskrit  literature,  the  eyes  of  the  chickore  ( Caccabis  chukor , Gray)  become  red  at  the 
sight  of  poison.  It  is  also  supposed  to  live  only  on  moonbeams  (see  below,  p.  108). 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ female  cakravakas .’ 

7 Tel . ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  blessed  Lord  of  Stars,  with  his  radiance  destroyed.  ’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ fresh  butter.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ bearing  the  reflexion  of  a gazelle.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ new  shore.’ 

11  Srirangam  text  adds  ‘ the  crystalline  water-pot,  so  to  say,  of  the  Ascetic  of  the  sky.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.,  * a monument,  one  might  call  it,  marked  with  charcoal  in  dark  spots,  to 
Him  who  was  born  of  fancy  and  was  burnt  by  the  fire  from  diva’s  eye.’ 


104 


VASAVADATTA 


foam,  as  it  were,  of  the  mighty  ocean  of  the  sky ; a quicksilver 
ball,  one  might  imagine,  of  the  dark  metallurgist1;  a silver  jar, 
so  to  say,  spangled  with  shoots  of  millet-grass2;  [192]  lovely  as 
the  wheel  of  Kama’s  chariot  3 ; the  dove,  it  might  be  termed,  of 
the  palace  of  the  heavens  ; even  as  the  beauteous  crest-jewel  of  the 
eastern  mount 4 ; like  unto  Airavata’s  frontal  lobe  when  deprived 
of  its  minium  5 6 ; resembling  a fragment  of  the  head  of  an  old  and 
broken-horned  cow  belonging  to  the  field  of  heaven  with  its  white 
wheat  of  stars  ; a silver  vessel,0  as  it  were,  yellowish  with  balls  of 
sandalwood,  fallen  from  the  hands  of  a divine  maiden.  [193]  And 
it  was  the  white  lotus  of  the  bees  of  the  eyes7 ; like  to8  the  sand 
bank  bed  of  the  geese9  of  the  mind;  the  crystalline  fan  of  the 
fires  of  separation  ; the  round  white  whetstone  of  Kama’s 
arrows. 

[194-195]  Meanwhile  there  were  equivocal  and  jealous10  con- 
versations, full  of  innuendoes  and  broken  with  emotion,11  (delivered 
by  the  lips)  of  female  messengers  sent  to  sweethearts  by  hosts  of 
women  anxious  for  a rendezvous.  [196]  As  for  example 12  : ‘ Be- 
ware of  evil  women’s  wiles,  beloved  ! Thou  dost  not  truly  know 
thyself!  [Beware,  destroyer  of  bliss  ! Truly  thou  knowest  not 
that  thou  art  made  a wretched  woman  1]  ’ ; [197-198]  ‘Thou  art 
a lover,13  (even  though)  not  one  among  them  that  draw  and  kiss 
(women  and)  make  (them)  run  ! [Thou  utter  rascal ! Thou  art 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  celestial  metallurgist.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ for  the  anointing  of  the  Mind-Bom  God  (Kama).’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * the  white  wheel,  as  it  were,  of  Kama’s  chariot.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  interchanging  this  adjective  with  the  one  preceding, 

‘ even  as  the  crest-jewel  of  the  serpent-king  of  the  eastern  mount.’ 

6  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ laved  in  the  river  of  heaven  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ fan.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘the  eyes  of  the  world.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ like  to.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘flamingoes.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘jealous.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ displacements  (of  words).’ 

12  The  passage  following  is  certainly  the  most  difficult  in  the  entire  Vasavadatta.,  and 
only  the  most  probable  of  the  many  interpretations  suggested  by  ^ivarama  and  Krishna- 
machariar  have  been  adopted.  The  renderings  here  given  do  not  attempt,  therefore, 
to  exhaust  all  the  possibilities.  The  reproachful  translation  is  placed  in  brackets. 

13  Ironical. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


105 


hard  as  a rock ! Thou  art  magnetite,  (even  though)  not  one 
among  loadstones,  touchstones,  (and)  magnets!]’;  [199]  ‘Thou 
art  like  a rower,  devoted  to  other  than  the  functions  of  his  duty, 
drawing  his  sword  in  vain  ! [Thou  that  hast  the  reward  of  duty1 ! 
Thou  art  devoted  to  another  (woman)  and  gifted  with  excessive 
speech  to  no  purpose  !]  ’ ; ‘ Distressedly,  as  it  were,  thou  thinkest 
in  thy  mind  of  one  2 hard  to  win ! [Good  friend,1  thou  thinkest 
of  one  2 hard  to  win  3 as  if  she  were  thine  own  wife  !]  ’ ; [200]  ‘He 
goeth  in  the  ways  of  truth  who  standeth  4 filled  with  delight  at 
the  swords  of  his  foes  ! [He  is  insipid  in  his  ways  who  standeth 
without  initiative  before  his  co-wives!]’;  [201]  ‘He  is  a hero 
indeed  who  brings  from  the  conflict  the  elephants  of  the  foe  ! [He 
is  filled  with  delight  who  brings  the  wife  of  a rival  to  old  age 
through  (amorous)  struggle  !]  ’ ; [202]  ‘ Holding  a massy,  broad 
sword,  and  suddenly  assailing  the  foe,  he  obtains  great  glory 
through  the  conflict ! [Holding  the  thighs,  hands,  and  hair  (of 
his  beloved),  he  obtains  an  excellent  position  with  his  body,  unit- 
ing at  the  supreme  moment !]  ’ ; [203]  ‘ Set  free  from  passion,  thou 
art  beautiful  indeed,  and  friendly  to  mankind  ! [Thou  passionate 
man,  bereft  of  lordship  ! Thou  art  assuredly  not  lovely,  and  art 
deserted  !]  ’ ; [204]  * Thou  adornment  of  the  earth  ! Bold  5 (is 
she),  white  like  the  autumn  clouds,  with  a clear  sense  of  her  own 
greatness,  able  to  ward  off  the  jealousy  of  revellers,6 7  with  firmness 
and  timidity  in  her  mind,  and  world-wide  truth  in  her  speech ! 
[Thou  wise  one,1  thou  utter  destruction  of  the  earth,  not  white 
like  the  autumn  clouds,  untransparent,  selfish,  jealous  as  a reveller  ! 
“ Patient  (am  I),  loving  to  think  of  the  adornment  of  the  world, 
(but)  in  his  mind  is  cowardice,  and  world-wide  falsehood  in  his 
speech  ” 7 !]  ’ ; [205-207]  ‘ She,  the  receptacle  of  bliss,  surpassing 


1 Ironical.  2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a woman.’ 

3 The  wife  of  another. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ he  whose  thoughts  are  on  the  ways  of  truth  (or,  on 

insipid  ways)  standeth.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  her  boldness  vanished.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘able  to  defend  the  magnitude  of  her  own  evident 
thoughts  of  greatness.’ 

7 The  supposed  address  of  the  woman  in  love. 


io6 


vAsavadattA 


LaksmI  with  her  gentle  smile,1  (though  herself)  unsurpassed ; 
yielding  unto  thee ; with  her  heart  spotless  as  a mirror  ; trans- 
cending the  tendrils  with  her  lotus  hand  ; with  coquetry  in  her 
sportful  fingers2;  peering  perturbedly3  through  the  interstices  of 
the  bars  of  her  windows ; — she  suffereth  distress  at  eventide,4 
being  lonely  without  thee,  her  ram  : for,  O lord  of  life  ! who  here 
depend  not  for  life  upon  some  happy  man  5 ? [Thou  lord  of  vio- 
lence ! She,  the  receptacle  of  bliss,  surpassing  LaksmI  with  her 
gentle  smile,1  (though  herself)  unsurpassed ; yielding  unto  thee  ; 
with  her  heart  spotless  as  a mirror  ; transcending  the  tendrils 
with  her  lotus  hand  ; with  coquetry  in  her  sportful  fingers 2 ; 
peering  perturbedly3  through  the  interstices  of  the  bars  of  her 
windows  ; — she  laugheth  not,  (but)  suffereth  distress  at  eventide,4 
being  lonely  without  thee,  her  ram  : for,  O destroyer  of  life  ! who 
here  depend  not  for  life  upon  some  happy  man 5 ?]  ’ ; [208]  ‘ Let 
other  women  be  ! I suffer  slavery  before  thee ! Therefore  be 
there  love  because  of  love ! [Thou  that  art  cast  off  by  other 
(women)  ! Thou  speechless  one  ! Thou  slave  (even)  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  base  ! 1 6 go  to  her  ! Therefore  let  hatred  arise  from 
love  !]  ’ ; [209]  ‘ Straightway  thou  art  mightily  beloved  ; why  dost 
thou  not  perform  the  lovely  rites  of  love,  especially  since  death 
standeth  immediately  near  7 ? [Thou  art  straightway  utterly 
devoid  of  love,  why  dost  thou  not  perform  the  lovely  rites  of  love, 
especially  since  death  standeth  immediately  near7?]’;  [210] 
‘ Thou  purifier  of  them  that  have  the  minds  of  false  lovers  ! Thou 
glorious  one  ! By  love  is  she  8 to  be  won,  great  and  noble,9  with 
large  eyes,  with  sidelong  glances  ; then  her  attendants  will  show 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ she  by  whom  the  lotus-dwelling  LaksmI  is  surpassed 
with  smiling  laughter.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ her  fingers  sportful,  as  it  were,  with  coquetry.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ perturbedly.’ 

* Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ she  suffereth  distress  (even)  without  (an  ascetic’s) 

curse,  having  her  destruction  prevented  by  her  folk.’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ on  what  happy  man  doth  she  not  depend  ’ ? 

6 The  messenger. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ since  stem  death  is  immediately  near.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ this  unparalleled  maid.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ accompanied  by  LaksmI.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


107 


their  slavery ! [Thou  false  lover ! Thou  effacer  of  thoughts  ! 
Thou  inglorious  one ! Alas,  sir ! By  love  is  she  1 to  be  won, 
great  and  noble,2  with  large  eyes,  with  sidelong  glances  ; then  her 
attendants  will  show  their  slavery  !]  ’ ; 4 By  thee,  who  art  like  to 
a lotus,  the  fabulous  riches  of  thy  foes  and  the  faces  of  their 
women  are  blackened ! [By  thee  the  faces  of  women  like  unto 
Laksmi  are  blackened,  not  the  lotus  faces  of  thy  foes  !]  ’ ; [21 1] 
‘ Having  inspired  confidence  of  all,  attended  by  Laksmi,  depart- 
ing from  the  rules  (of  decorum),  having  obtained  one  to  be 
obtained,3  wavering  an  instant,4  slow  for  modesty,  with  love  vio- 
lently born  through  pain  among  the  flowers  of  Him  whose  shafts 
are  flowers,5  she  fainteth  limblessly,  Limbless  God c (saying) : 
“ Bliss  thou  bringest  me,  thou  that  art  devoted  to  songs  of  many 
measures”!  [Having  inspired  confidence  of  all,  attended  by 
Laksmi,  (but)  with  her  youth  departed,  obtained  in  a way  she 
should  not  be  obtained,3  wavering  an  instant,4  slow  for  modesty, 
with  love  violently  born  through  pain  among  the  flowers  of  Him 
whose  shafts  are  flowers,5  she  fainteth  limblessly,  Limbless  God  6 
(saying) : “ Woe  thou  bringest  me,  thou  that  art  devoted  to  songs 
of  many  measures  ” !]  [212-21 3]  ‘What  woman  was  (ever)  aban- 

doned by  thee  that  bearest  love’s  burden,  with  thy  beautiful  lips, 
with  thy  sectarial  mark  characterised  by  a streak  of  dust,7  with 
thy  moon-like  face,  (when  once  she  had)  clung  to  thy  heart8  with 
her  soft-formed  hand,  with  her  breast,  holding  the  water  of  drops 
of  sweat,  moving  on  thy  broad  bosom,  being  overcome  by  thy 
unblemished  lustre  ? [What  woman  was  (ever)  released  by  thee, 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘this  unparalleled  maid.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ accompanied  by  Laksmi.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ having  obtained  to-day  a covenant  of  all  the  world 
for  some  time,  she,  attended  by  Laksmi  [having  inspired  an  agreement  of  all,  a woman 
who  should  not  be  obtained  hath  been  obtained  for  some  time].’ 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘just  for  an  instant.’  5 Kama. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ limblessly,  Limbless  God.’  The  ‘ Limbless  God  ’ 

is  Kama. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ characterised  by  Kama  [characterised  by  lovelessness].’ 

8 Srirangam  text,  ‘what  woman  with  beautiful  lips  that  bear  love’s  burden,  with 
a sectarial  mark  characterised  by  Kama,  (and)  with  a lotus  face  hath  clung  to  thy  heart 
[what  woman  with  hideous  lips  that  bear  love’s  burden,  characterised  by  lovelessness, 
devoid  of  auspicious  signs,  and  with  a moon-like  face  (!)  hath  clung  to  thy  heart].’ 


io8 


vAsavadattA 


with  thy  hideous  lips,  vile  for  love’s  burden,  marked  with  streaks 
of  dust,  devoid  of  auspicious  signs,  with  thy  moon-like  face,1  (when 
once  she  had)  clung  to  thy  heart 2 with  her  soft-formed  hand, 
with  her  breast,  holding  the  water  of  drops  of  sweat,  moving  on 
thy  broad  bosom,  being  won  by  gold  unalloyed  ?]  ’ ; [214]  ‘What 
gentle-eyed  woman  who  fervently  delighteth  thee,  that  art  not 
inflamed  with  passion,  (but  art)  the  essence  of  love,  delightsome, 
(and)  a most  excellent  lover,  desireth  another  that  is  no  lover, 
with  her  breast  a ravishing  opponent,  charming  with  an  eye  that 
steals  3 the  light  of  the  gazelle’s  eye  ? [Cruel  with  passion  ! Red- 
eyed with  lust ! Alas,  an  unlovely  dame  with  hostile  breast, 
gaining  (thee)  with  an  angry  eye  that  steals  4 the  light  of  sight, 
desireth  thee,  the  essence  of  lovelessness,  hot,5  pitiless,  absolutely 
no  lover,  (and)  bound  for  utmost  woe !].’ 

Straightway  the  world  rejoiced  as  if  it  had  entered  6 the  ocean 
of  milk,  as  if  it  had  entered  a house  of  crystal ; as  if  it  enjoyed 
the  blessedness  of  habitation  in  the  White  Islands.7  [215]  And8 
in  due  course  Kandarpaketu,  accompanied  by  Tamalika  and 
Makaranda,  went  to  the  city  of  Vasavadatta  s father,0  while,  like 
the  sighing  of  the  night,  most  gently  blew  the  evening  breeze 10 
with  far  horizons  tuneful  with  the  murmur  of  swarms  of  bees  in- 
toxicated and  delighted  by  many  drops11  of  nectar  in  calyxes  of 
forests  of  white  lotuses  with  unfolded  petals  of  their  buds  ; with 
its  coming  greeted  by  amorous  chickores  sluggish  from  copious 
draughts  of  moonbeams  ; bewitching  because  of  beads  of  perspira- 
tion on  the  fair  brides  of  the  Pulinda  king,  wearied  with  the 
exhaustion  12  of  excessive  love. 


I Ironical.  2 See  note  8,  p.  107. 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ and  with  an  eye  that  steals.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘and  with  an  angry  eye  that  steals.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ lustful.’  6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘plunged  into.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ as  if  it  had  settled  in  the  White  Islands.’  On  the 
White  Islands  see  Hopkins,  The  Great  Epic  of  India,  p.  116,  New  York,  1901. 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ and  then.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ to  the  city  of  Vasavadatta.’ 

10  Srirangam  text  adds  ‘ removing  the  heat.’ 

II  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ swarms  of  bees  delighted  with  intoxication  from  the 
flavour  of  the  abundant  dripping  of  many  drops.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ exhaustion.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


109 


[216]  Then1  he,  whose  power  was  that  of  Siva’s  joy,  saw  the 
mansion  of  Vasavadatta  surrounded 2 by  an  encircling  wall ; 
with  its  cloud-touching  crest  built  in  a quarter  of  the  capital ; 
white  with  stucco  ; with  bits  of  gold,3  pearls,  emeralds,  and  rubies 
inserted  one  after  the  other  like  a host  of  deities  staying  to  see 
Vasavadatta4;  [217]  adorned  with  banners  that  seemed  to  mock 
the  beauty  of  the  ocean  5 of  the  sky  as  if  with  clusters  of  the 
flowers  of  the  cloud-tree  disporting  in  the  wind  ; adorned  with 
very  numerous  6 streams  flowing  through  courts  with  slabs  of 
golden  stone,  (these  streams)  bearing  the  savour  of  water  per- 
fumed with7  camphor,  saffron,  cardamom,  and  cloves,  and  with 
palace  doves  sleeping8  comfortably  perched  on  slabs  of  crystal 
from  shores  unknown  9 ; [218]  with  waters  full  of  the  blossoms  of 
the  trees  near  the  crumbling  banks 10  ; with  seats  11  bedewed  by 
masses  of  spray  moving  at  the  striking  of12  the  firm  buttocks  of 
wanton13  damsels  incessantly  plunging  and  emerging;  with  flamin- 
goes whose  noise  would  imply  that  they  had  settled  near  the 
sand  bank  formed  by  the  stream  of  camphor14  ; [219]  revealing 
the  Brahminy  ducks’  sudden  dread  of  darkness  because  of  the 
groves  of  expanded  blue  lotuses  14 ; Containing  goodly  waters>  as 
young  women  <have  goodly  breasts) ; bathing  the  dips  of  the 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘then,  having  entered.’  Cartellieri,  ‘ Subandhn  and 
Bana’  in  WZKM.  1. 132,  compares  with  this  Candrapida’s  first  meeting  with  Kadambarl 
{Kadambarl,  pp.  182  sqq.,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr.  Ridding,  pp.  143  sqq.,  London,  1896)). 

2 Tel.  ed.  omits  down  to  ‘ adorned  with  banners.’ 

3 Srirangam  text,  * seeming  to  have  gold.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  mansion  of  Vasavadatta.’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * city.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘very  numerous’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘numerous.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ bearing  the  perfume  of.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ white  doves  of  the  palace  born  and  sleeping’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘ curious 
white  doves  of  the  palace  sleeping.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ slabs  of  crystal  near  the  banks.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ trees  on  the  crumbling  banks.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ seats  on  the  banks.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ upheaved  by  striking  against.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ wanton.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ that  they  had  perched  on  the  sand  bank  of  the  stream 
of  camphor.’ 

15  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ revealing  the  terror  of  ducks  and  cakravakas  at  the  darkness  because  of 
the  expanded  blue  lotuses.’ 


no 


vAsavadattA 


pitchers  in  water)  as  the  battle  arts  1 of  Sugriva  bathed  <Kum- 
bhakarna  in  blood) ; <sprinkled  with  dust  from  the  feet  of  fair 
women)  as  the  shores  of  the  sea  are  <variegated  with  the  colours 
of  beautiful  trees)  ; [220]  <causing  contempt  for  canals)  as  the  dis- 
position of  new  monarchs2  <causes  dishonour  to  the  honourable)3; 
adorned  with  palaces  that  seemed  to  bear  aloft,  under  the  guise 
of  the  strings  of  pearls  placed  on  their  pinnacles,  a host  of  stars 
come  in  curiosity  4 to  behold  the  damsels  of  the  city  ; [221]  made 
brilliant  with  flocks  of  peacocks  lurking  in  the  vicinity ; present- 
ing the  semblance  of  crystal  pitchers  ; on  one  side 5 showing  the 
rising  0 of  untimely  clouds  by  masses  of  the  smoke  of  aloes  burn- 
ing constantly  ; on  the  other  side  having  peacocks  dancing  joy- 
ously,7 called  by  the  exceeding  8 deep  roll  of  drums  ; with  the 
<descent  of  the  eyes  of  the  world)  3 as  the  even-tide  has  the  Get- 
ting sun) ; with  <charming  women,  filled  with  love-longing),  as 
Janaka’s  place  of  sacrifice10  had  <Rama  longing  for  his  wife); 
[222]  <delighting  in  love’s  union)  as  multitudes  of  mankind11 
<honour  divinity) 12 ; the  repository,  as  it  were,  of  delightsomeness ; 
the  home,  so  to  say,  of  love  ; the  palace,  it  might  be  termed,  of 
wanton  sport13;  [223]  the  place  of  assembly,  it  would  seem,  of 
loveliness. 

Kandarpaketu,  as  well  as  Makaranda,  was  astonished  at 
hearing14  the  chatter  of  the  maidens,  tender  in  their  affection 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ battle  deeds  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ tendency  toward  battle  ’ ; cf.  Ramaycina , 
6.  67. 

2 Is  there  here  a possible  covert  allusion  to  the  recent  accession  of  a new  king  inferior 
to  his  predecessor  (cf.  p.  9 above)  ? 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ <with  elephants  going  to  the  canals>  as  the  rule  of 
monarchs  has  honourable  men,  income,  respect,  and  taxes).’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘in  curiosity.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ on  one  side.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ warlike  preparation.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ having  intoxicated  peacocks.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ exceeding.’  9 Namely,  to  see  its  beauty. 

10  The  Dandaka  forest,  where  Slta  was  carried  off  from  Rama. 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ humanity.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ adorned  with  many  (walls)  as  a forest  is  adorned 
with  many  <ra/- trees).’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ of  all  wanton  sports.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ Kandarpaketu,  entering  that  palace  with  Makaranda,  hearing  . . saw 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


m 


one  for  the  other  1 : ‘ Thou  runnest  successfully  in  thy  running, 
Nigalita2!  Capala  standeth  unsteadily  ! What  of  her  ? [224] 

Here  is  the  cluster  of  flowers  fallen  from  thine  own  ear  ’ ! 

‘ Surekha,  thou,  whose  beauty  is  entreated  by  the  gods,  art 
filled  with  wine  (and)  drunken  5 ! ‘ Kalaha,3  thou  dost  wellnigh 
summon  love  by  the  soft  tinklings  of  the  bond  of  thy  golden 
girdle  ’ ! ‘ Malaya,  by  thy  very  glance  thou  hast  learned  the 

will  of  Him  who  overcame  &va’4  ! [225]  ‘ Kalika,  loosen  that 

noisy  girdle,  the  banner  of  strife ; we  hear  the  faint,  sweet  sound 
of  the  lute  ’ 5 ! ‘ My  girdle  is  not  the  nuisance  ; it  is  thou,  with 

thy  irrumation G and  noisiness’7!  ‘This  silly  Avantisena  is 
afraid  lest  she  fall  there  in  offering  flowers  ’ 8 ! ‘ Enough  of  thy 
tricks,  Lavangika ! Thy  tremor  9 betrayeth  thy  state  of  mind.’ 
[226]  ‘ Thy  languid  form  seemeth  to  bear  the  wounds  of  Love’s 
arrows,  Anangalekha  ! The  mighty  wave  of  anxiety  is  indeed 
concealed  to  thy  advantage  ! Speak,  doth  the  moon  itself  reach 
comparison  in  thy  face,  whose  loveliness  should  be  drunk  in  by 
the  eyes  ’ 10  ? [227]  ‘ Somebody  apparently  dwelleth  in  thy 

heart,  Satlvrata  ! Thy  words  are  felt  in  a hundred  ways  as 

Vasavadatta,’  omitting  ‘ was  astonished’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ Kandarpaketu,  hearing  . . ., 
entered  that  palace  with  Makaranda.’ 

1 For  similar  series  of  exclamations,  see  KddambarT,  pp.  1 73—1 74,  357,  Bombay  ed., 
1890  (tr.  Ridding,  pp.  68-69,  144-145,  London,  1S96)  ; Harsacarita , pp.  177-178, 
277-278,  Eombay  ed.,  1892  (tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  pp.  144-145,  247-24S,  London, 

1 897)- 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘(though)  not  addressed,’  the  Srirangam  text  adding 
‘ fair  maid  ’ ! 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘Surekha,  with  fair  streak  of  wine  on  thy  cheek,  thou 
art  a LaksmI  wooed  by  the  gods  ! Drunken  Kalaha.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ perform  the  will  of  Him  (Kama)  who  overcame  6iva  ; 
thou  hast  learned  it  just  with  a glance.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ we  hear  this  faint,  sweet  sound  of  the  lute,  the  banner  of  strife,’ 
omitting  ‘ loosen  this  noisy  girdle.’ 

6 See  Schmidt,  Beitriige  zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  546-550,  593,  Leipzig,  1902. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘with  thy  noisiness  and  roughness.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ there,  in  offering  waga-flowers,  this  trembling  maid 
feareth  that  “ I may  fall”.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ tremor  filled  with  sighs.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * thy  form  seemeth  to  bear  the  wounds  of  love’s  arrows, 
Anangalekha,  and  thy  pearl  necklace  is  arranged  at  thy  behest ! Speak,  Utkalika, 
doth  the  moon  reach  comparison  in  thy  face,  filled  with  anxiety,  (despite)  the  beauty  of 
the  lotuses  in  thine  eyes  ’ ? 


J 1 2 


VASAVADATTA 


having  the  hardness  of  the  hundred  edges  (of  Indra’s  thunder- 
bolt) ’ ! ‘ This  braid  of  hair  of  thine,  Kuntalika,1  is  like  a bit  of 
black  cloud  with  a mass  of  hail  with  its  garland  2 3 of  lovely- 
expanded  Arabian  jasmines  ’ ! ‘ Near  the  city  gate,  Keralika, 
the  sounds  of  song  are  heard  ! What,  pray,  dost  thou  purpose  ’ ? 
[228]  ‘ Instantaneously,  even  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  Muralika, 
thou  dost  distress  thy  host  of  girl  friends,  trembling  and  anxious 
for  a kind  word  ! Because  of  thy  lover  thou  art  abandoned  by 
thy  husband,  who  remembereth  the  bliss,  driving  away  love’s 
fever,  that  was  gained  by  him,  raging  aloud  as  he  thudded  thy 
breast ! Why  art  thou  distracted  ? Thy  lover  longeth  for 
a greater  thing  than  a feast ; (and)  thy  husband  [229]  hath 
remembered  thy  favour,  with  its  delightsomeness  of  passion  ’ ! 

‘ Doth  not  the  wound  of  nails,  sharp  from  fresh  paring,  cause 
pain  by  night  in  an  amorous  woman,  Kuruta  ’ ? ‘ Why  is  not 
he  moon,  the  place  for  the  eyes  of  all  happy  people  to  gaze  on, 
drunk  in  by  thy  shining  eyes?  [230]  Dear  friend  MadanamalinI, 
with  thy  caprices  of  union  and  abandonment  cause  thou  distrac- 
tion by  contact  with  thy  ruddy  lip  ! Shining  with  his  rosy  crest, 
he  (the  moon)  is  like  the  cheek  of  a Malava  maid  flushed  with 
intoxication  ; what  is  the  difference  between  thee  and  a creeping 
plant’  3 ? [231]  ‘ Kurangika,  prepare  a blade  of  young  grass  for 
the  antelope  fauns  ’ ! ‘ Kisorika,  have  the  young  colts  looked 
after’!  ‘ Taralika,  put  in  motion  the  mass  of  smoke  from  the 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘beautiful  Keralika’;  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Keralika.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ delightful  with  its  garland.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ “ Kuntalika,  (thou  art)  adorned  with  thy  tresses,  and  no  sounds  of  song 

are  heard  near  the  city  gate  ! What  dost  thou  purpose  ? Instantaneously,  even  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  thou  hast  thy  host  of  girl  friends  trembling  and  anxious  for  a kind 
word  ” ! “ Surata,  by  whom  art  thou  now  deserted  that  raged  aloud  in  amorous  sport, 

remembering  the  bliss,  driving  away  love’s  fever,  that  he  won  in  thudding  thy  breast  ? 
What  is  said?  Thy  lover  hath  been  mindful  of  a greater  thing  than  a feast,  (even)  thy 
favour,  with  its  delightsomeness  of  passion  ? In  the  night,  with  unseemly  noise,  he 
hath  inflicted  on  an  amorous  woman  the  pain  of  his  nails,  sharp  from  fresh  paring. 
Why  is  not  the  moon,  the  place  for  the  eyes  of  all  successful  people  to  gaze  on,  drunk 
in  by  thy  shining  eyes  ? ” “ Dear  friend  MadanamalinI,  cause  not  discontent  in  the  bee, 

with  his  desire  to  approach  and  leave  thy  ruddy  lip  ! What  is  the  difference  between 
thee  and  a creeping  plant  with  its  abundance  of  quivering  petals,  soft  as  the  cheek  of 
a Malava  maid  flushed  with  intoxication  ” V ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


”3 

aloes  ’ ! ‘ Karpurika,  whiten  1 the  burden  of  thy  breasts  with 
camphor-dust  ’ ! 1 Matangika,  have  the  begging  2 of  the  young 
elephants  borne  in  mind  ’ ! ‘ Sasilekha,  draw  a digit  of  the  moon  3 
on  thy  broad  forehead  ’ ! ‘ Ketakika,  note  the  longing  of  the 
bower  of  screw-pine  ’ ! [232]  ! Sakunika,  give  food  to  the  pet 

birds’ ! ‘ Madanamanjarl,  festoon  the  plantain  house  as  a bower 
for  meeting’4!  ‘ Srngaramanjarl,  prepare  the  arrangements 5 
of  love  ’ ! ‘ Sanjivika,6  give  a sprig  of  pepper  to  the  pair  of 

chickores  ’ ! ‘ Pallavika,  make  the  artificial  grove  of  screw-pine 
blossom  with  camphor-powder’!  ‘ Sahakaramanjarl,  produce 
the  perfume  of  the  mango  by  the  breeze  of  thy  fan  ’ 7 ! ‘ Mada- 
nalekha,  write  a love-line  of  the  wind  of  Malaya  ’ ! [233] 

‘ Mrnalika,8  give  a blade  of  lotus-fibre  to  the  young  flamingoes  ’ ! 
‘Vilasavatl,  make  the  young  peacock  sport’!  ‘Tamalika,  per- 
fume the  palace  court 9 with  sandal  water  ’ ! ‘ Kancanika,  scatter 
liquid  musk  in  the  gold  pavilion  ’ ! ‘ Pravalika,  sprinkle  the 

grove  of  young 10  shoots  with  saffron  ’ ! 

Entering11  with  these  thoughts  among  others  : ‘ Oh,  the  exceed- 
ing beauty  of  the  mansions  ! Oh,  the  wanton  blissfulness  of  love  ! 
This  pavilion,  for  instance,  made  of  elephants’  tusks,  whose  beauty 
is  the  beauty  of  the  spotless  teeth  of  Malava’s  daughters,  with 
wide  interstices  for  the  (amorous)  sport  of  their  (proper)  seasons12  ! 
[234]  This  pet  parrot  confined  in  a cage  of  bars  made  of  golden 
rods  ’ !,  he  (Kandarpaketu)  saw  Vasavadatta  brilliant  with  a pair 

I Tel.  ed.,  ‘dust.’  2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ washing.’ 

3 A digit  of  the  moon  is  ^ part  of  it.  The  purpose  of  drawing  this  emblem, 
according  to  the  Sanskrit  commentator  Sivarama,  was  to  frighten  Love  away,  the 
moon  being  described  by  Subandhu  himself  (see  above,  p.  103)  as  the  pyre  of  Kama. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Madanamanjarl,  anklet  it  to  the  arbour  of  creepers  ! 
Kadalika,  open  the  plantain  house  ’ ! 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ arrangement.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * Sanjivanika.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘efface  the  drops  of  sweat  by  the  wind  of  thy  fan  with 
its  mango  perfume  ’ ! 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Makarika,  adorned  by  Kama.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  1 have  the  court  of  the  palace  covered.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘young.’ 

II  Tel.  ed.  omits  these  meditations  of  Kandarpaketu ; Srirangam  text  omits  the 
exclamation  concerning  the  pavilion,  prefacing  the  whole  with  1 and  he  thought.’ 

12  See  Schmidt,  Beitrage  zur  indischen  Erotik , pp.  403-429,  Leipzig,  1902. 

I 


vAsavadattA 


114 

of  legs  with  <reddened  feet>  as  grammar1  has  Rubricated  padas>\ 
with  <goodly  joints)  as  the  Bharata 2 has  <a  hundred  books); 
charming  with  <beautiful  ankles)  as  the  Ramayana  is  charming 
with  its  <Sundarakanda> ; [235]  with  a glorious  <slender  waist) 
as  the  Chanddviciti  has  the  glorious  (tanumadhyd  metre)  3 ; with 
<hands  and  ears  that  must  be  reckoned  with)  as  astronomy  has 
the  <Jiasta  and  sravana  4 that  may  be  counted) ; Revealing  her 
beauty)  as  the  permanence  of  the  Nyaya  system  5 has  its  <form 
from  Uddydtakara)  ; decked  with  <ornaments>  as  an  assembly  of 
Buddhists  6 is  decked  with  the  <Alamkarci> ; [236]  showing  the 
(essence  of  delight)  as  an  Upanisad  shows  him  whose  (being  is 
bliss)  7 ; with  beautiful  (feet)  as  an  abode  with  a family  of  Brah- 
mans has  beautiful  (conduct) ; with  lovely  (buttocks)  as  the 
beauty  of  the  Vindhya  Mountains  has  lovely  (slopes) ; beautified 
with  (massy  hips)  as  Tara  8 was  beautified  in  being  the  (wife  of 
the  Teacher)  ; with  a slender 9 (waist)  that  might  be  grasped  by 
the  hand  as  (Indra’s)  bolt 10  of  a hundred  points  has  a slender  9 
(middle)  that  might  be  grasped  by  the  hand  ; with  a (lovely  face) 
as  the  friend  of  Priyangusyama  was  (Priyadar^ana) 11 ; (glorious  as 
the  moon)  as  Brahmadatta’s  queen  was  (Somaprabha) 12 ; [237] 
(incomparable)  as  the  female  elephant  of  the  (southwest)  quarter 
was  (Anupama)  ; adorned  with  a (sectarial  mark)  as  the  seashore 

1 Alluding  to  the  red  colophons  of  the  padas,  or  quarter-divisions,  of  each  book  of 
Pan  ini’s  grammar. 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Mahabhdrala'  On  the  reference  see  Cartellieri, 
‘ Das  Mahabharata  bei  Subandhu  und  Bana,’  in  WZKM.  13.  71. 

3 See  Weber,  Ueber  die  Metrik  der  Ittder,  pp.  365-366,  Berlin,  1863,  the  scheme 

being | w . 

4 Two  naksatras,  or  lunar  mansions,  corresponding  respectively  to  8,  y,  e,  a,  $ 
Corvi,  and  a,  /3,  y Aquilae. 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  science  of  the  Nyaya.’  On  the  importance  of  this 
allusion  for  dating  the  Vasavadatta,  see  Introduction,  p.  8. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  composition  of  the  poetry  of  excellent  poets.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ <joyful>  as  an  Upanisad  has  <Brahma> ; cadoming  humanity)  as  the 
radiance  of  the  sun  dights  the  world)  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ Rohini.’  The  ‘Teacher’  is  Brhaspati. 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  1 slender.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  form  of  the  bolt  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  stem  of  the  bolt.’ 

11  The  details  of  this  legend  seem  to  be  lost ; cf.  Lacote,  Essai  sur  Gunadhya  et  la 
Brhatkatha,  p.  213,  Paris,  1908. 

12  See  Kathasaritsagara , 17.  114. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE  115 

is  adorned  with  <tamala- leaves>1 ; <languid  with  intoxication)  as 
Asvatara’s  daughter  was  <Madalasa>.2 

Then  sudden  3 faintness  seized  the  consciousness  of  Kandar- 
paketu  as  he  drank  her  in  with  an  eye  dilated  with  affection.4 
Beholding  him  in  her  turn,  Vasavadatta  fainted.5 6  Then,  with 
their  consciousness  restored  by  the  exertions  of  Makaranda  and 
the  attendant  maidens,  they  e twain  adorned  a single  settle. 

[238]  Thereupon  a vessel  7 of  all  confidence  named  Kalavatl, 
dearer  than  Vasavadatta’s  own  life  (to  her),  addressed  Kandar- 
paketu  : ‘ Scion  of  noble  parentage ! This  is  no  occasion  for 
confidential  conversation 8 ; therefore  thou  art  told  only  the  least 
part 9 ! The  pain  that  hath  been  felt  by  this  maiden  for  thy  sake 
might  be  written  or  told 10  in  some  wise  or  in  some  way  in  many 
thousands  of  ages  if  the  sky  became  paper,11  the  sea  [239]  an 
ink-well,  the  scribe  Brahma,  (and)  the  narrator  the  Lord  of 
Serpents.12  By  thee  13  a kingdom  has  been  abandoned — what 
need  of  more  ? Thou  thyself  art  brought  into  peril ! When  the 
night  shall  be  near  to  dawn,  against  her  will 14  this  daughter  of 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ <giving  joy>  and  adorned  with  a «sectarial  mark»  as  the  Reva  is  the 
<Narmada>  and  is  adorned  with  «tamdla- leaves»  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

2 This  daughter  of  Asvatara  is  probably  identical  with  the  one  carried  off  by 
Kuvalaya^va  (see  below,  p.  130).  The  mythology  given  by  Subandhu,  however, 
seems  confused,  and  may  be  influenced  by  paronomasiac  requirements.  No  daughter 
of  Asvatara  is  thus  far  known  to  be  mentioned  elsewhere,  and  Madalasa  is  usually 
described  as  the  child  of  the  Gandharva  Vi£vavasu  and  as  abducted  by  Patalaketu, 
a Daitya  prince,  from  whom  she  was  rescued  by  Kuvalayasva,  who  made  her  one  of  his 
wives.  She  died  of  grief  when  she  heard  that  her  husband  had  fallen  in  battle.  See 
Mdrkand?yapurana,  21-22. 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ sudden.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ with  affection.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ Vasavadatta  fainted  after  him.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ these.’  7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘a friend.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ of  confidential  conversations.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ only  the  least  part  is  told.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ might  be  written  or  not.’ 

11  See  Kohler,  ‘ Und  wenn  der  Himmel  war  Papier,’  in  his  Kleinerc  Schriften,  3.  293- 
318,  Berlin,  1900  ; Zachariae,  ‘ Und  wenn  der  Himmel  war  Papier,’  in  Zeitschrift  des 

Vereins  fur  Volkskunde,  11,  331. 

12  The  cosmic  serpent  £esa. 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ and  by  thee.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ into  the  peril  of  her,  who  has  learned  that  “ when 
the  night  shall  dawn,  against  her  will,”  ’ etc. 


ii  6 


VASAVADATTA 


our  monarch  is  to  be  given  in  marriage  by  her  father,  [240]  filled 
with  alarm  at  the  sin1  of  her  passing  youth,  to  Puspaketu,  son 
of  Vijayaketu,  the  supreme  lord  of  the  Vidyadharas.  Thus  she 
has  reflected2:  “If  to-day  Tamalika  comes  not  with  that 
person,3  then  inevitably  must  I lay  me  in  the  fire  ! 4 ” Therefore, 
most  fortunate  prince,  through  the  power  of  her  good  deeds 
thou  art  come  to  this  land.5  Thy  highness  is  criterion,  now,  of 
what  is  fitting  here.’  With  these  words  she  was  silent. 

Then,  as  if  terribly  terrified,  as  if  bathed  in  the  billows  of  the 
ocean  of  the  bliss  of  love,6  as  if  anointed  to  the  sovereignty  of 
the  threefold  world,7  Kandarpaketu,  [241]  taking  counsel  with 
Vasavadatta  (and)  leaving  Makaranda  there  in  the  city  to  search 
for  tidings,  set  forth  from  the  city  with  her 8 by  means  of  a horse 
named  Mandjava,9  who  <ever  faced  his  course)  as  a serpent  <faces 
the  wind).10 

And11  by  degrees — having  gone,  even  in  the  twinkling  of  an 


1 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ the  sin  of.’  On  the  seriousness,  and  even  sinfulness,  of  permitting 
a daughter  to  reach  the  age  of  puberty  without  being  married,  cf.  Jolly,  Recht  u>id 
Side,  pp.  54-58,  Strassburg,  1896 ; Schmidt,  Beitrdge  zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  645- 
649,  Leipzig,  1902. 

2 Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ having  taken  counsel  with  us’;  similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

5 Kandarpaketu,  whom  modesty  forbade  her  to  mention  by  name. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * the  fire  must  be  my  refuge.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  omits  this  sentence;  Srirangam  text,  ‘ and  from  the  power  of  good  deeds 
the  full  fortunate  (pair)  are  met.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ bathed  in  the  billows  of  the  ocean  of  the  ambrosia 
of  the  bliss  of  love.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  1 as  if  anointed  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  three- 
fold world.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘with  this  Vasavadatta.’ 

9 It  is,  perhaps,  worth  noting  that  mandjava  occurs  as  an  epithet  of  horses  in  Rig- 
Veda,  6.  62.  3,  as  well  as  in  later  literature  (Bohtlingk  and  Roth,  Sanskrit-Worterbuck, 

5.  531,  St.  Petersburg,  1868). 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ who  was  adorned  by  (whorls  on  his  neck>  as 
a river-bank  [Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  ocean  ’]  is  adorned  with  <pearl  oysters) ; who  was 
characterised  by  <curls  on  his  breast)  as  the  forests  of  Vindhya  are  characterised  by 
<pipul-trees> ; who  went  like  <the  mind)  as  a goose  goes  in  (Manasa)  [Srirangam  text 
adds  ‘who  was  adorned  with  <studs>  as  a forest  is  adorned  with  (rhinoceroses) ’] ; 
who  was  decked  with  (shoulders)  as  a tree  is  decked  with  a (branch) ; who  had  (black 
about  his  eyes)  as  the  thunderbolt  is  the  (weapon  of  Indra).’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then  by  degrees,  going  a journey  of  a gavyiiti  [about  > 

four  miles],  departing  through  the  enclosure  of  a cemetery,  . . . going  a journey  of 

many  hundred  leagues  even  in  the  space  of  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  he  again  entered.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


117 

eye,  many  hundred  leagues 1 through  the  enclosure  of  a cemetery 
thronged  with  flocks  of  fearless  herons  assembled  in  desire  of 
a mouthful  of  flesh 2 ; [242]  horrible  with  the  howls  of  awful 
goblins  that  had  kataputanas 3 quivering  with  eagerness  for  the 
hideous  corpses  chilling4  in  the  circle  of  half-burned  funeral 
pyres ; repulsive  with  patches  of  ground  full  of  swarms  of 
buzzing  flies  sprinkled  with  quantities  of  blood  from  the  am- 
putation of  ears  and  noses  of  thieves  placed  on  the  top  of 
stakes  5 ; with  the  horrible  sound  of  the  bursting  of  human  skulls 
slowly  crackling  as  they  were  burned  by  fires  of  straw6;  [243] 
with  its  contour  concealed  by  rows  of  skulls,  ashes,  <jackals,  fires, 
goblins>,  and  serpents  as  He  who  holds  the  trident  in  his  hand 7 
has  his  contour  concealed  by  rows  of  skulls,  ashes,  <Siva,  the 
element  of  fire>,  and  serpents  8 ; frequented  by  many  <dogs>  as 


1 For  instances  of  the  magic  horse  in  modem  Indian  folk- tales,  cf.  Steel  and  Temple, 
Wide-Awake  Stories,  pp.  425-426,  Bombay,  1884  ; Day,  Folk-Tales  of  Bengal,  pp.  73, 
80,  214-219,  249,  London,  1883;  Thornhill,  Indian  Fairy  Tales,  pp.  108-145, 
London,  n.d. ; Dracott,  Simla  Village  Tales,  p.  102,  London,  1906  ; Campbell,  Santal 
Folk  Tales,  p.  86,  Pokhuria,  1891 ; Leitner,  1 Historical  Legend  of  the  Origin  of 
Ghilgit’  (a  Dard  legend),  in  I A.  1.  88. 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ for  the  purpose  of  a mouthful  of  human  flesh  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam 
text. 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ horrible  with  howls  from  the  awful  throats  of  kataputanas.'  The 
katapiitana  is  the  ghost  of  a renegade  Ksatriya  (Manu,  12.  71). 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ hideous  corpses  with  the  raw  odour  of  their  fat 
chilling.’ 

6  See  Jolly,  Recht  und  Sitte,  pp.  126-127,  130,  Strassburg,  1896.  Impalement  was 
accomplished  by  ‘ a stout  iron  rod  with  a thin  point  at  the  top.  The  condemned  person 
was  made  to  sit  on  the  top  which  penetrated  into  his  body  slowly  and  went  out  by  the 
head’  (Ram  Satya  Mukharji,  Indian  Folklore,  p.  129,  note,  Calcutta,  1904). 

6 Tel.  ed. , ‘ noisy  with  the  dancing  of  horrible  demons  at  the  ends  of  whose  hands  were 
skulls  resounding  with  the  drip,  drip  of  the  fall  of  quantities  of  blood  fallen  from  the 
amputation  of  noses  of  thieves  placed  on  the  tops  of  stakes ; repulsive  with  patches  of 
ground  filled  with  the  abundant  sport  of  swarms  of  bees  ; awful  with  the  bursting  of 
sharply  crackling  human  skulls,  burning  in  fires  of  straw ; filled  with  fiery  fire  fired  from 
goblins’  open  mouths ; with  the  noise  of  the  division  of  corpses  made  by  hosts  of 
monstrous  female  fiends  with  pendants  of  skulls  that  had  entrails  for  threads ; with 
funeral  fires  circumambulated  to  the  right  by  pairs  of  demons  with  auspicious  marriage 
cords  formed  of  wet  sinews  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

7 Siva. 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  its  contour  concealed  by  rows  of  skulls,  <jackals>, 
many  fires,  <serpents,  and  the  moon>  as  He  who  holds  the  trident  in  his  hand  has  his 
contour  concealed  by  rows  of  skulls,  <$iva>,  many  fires,  and  (lordly  serpents).’ 


1 1 8 


vAsavadattA 


the  leadership  of  men  is  courted  by  many  <kingdoms>1 — he 
entered  the  Vindhya  forest,2  which  had  a multitude  of  bow- 
string-hemp plants)  arising  as  the  Last  Day  has  a multitude  of 
<suns>  arising ; [244]  with  infinite  roots)  as  the  existence  of  the 
Serpent  King 3 is  <rooted  in  Ananta) ; with  <owls>  dwelling  at 
will  as  the  assembly  of  the  gods  has  <Indra>  standing  at  will  ; 
rich  in  many4  <Bengal  quince-trees)  as  honour  to  the  noble  is 
rich  in  bruit  of  many 4 blessings) ; with  <deep-rooted  arjuna- 
trees)  as  the  battlefield  of  the  Bharatas  had  <Arjuna  loftily 
grown) ; with  <racemose  asparagus  plants  ever  with  a thousand 
roots)  as  the  status  of  Puloman’s  family  had  <IndranI  fit  for  Him 
who  hath  a thousand  eyes)  5 ; with  fruitful  6 <ganikarikas'>  as  the 
bent  of  mind 7 of  a keeper  of  courtesans  8 has  a fruitful 6 <recourse 
to  harlots) ; [245]  with  expanded  <ushokas,  chir- pines,  and 
kamala- trees)  as  the  success  of  the  righteous  has  <noble  men 
joyous,  free  from  sorrow,  and  upright) ; containing  <emblic  myro- 
balan)  as  the  play  of  children  has  <pleasure  for  their  nurses); 
composed  in  some  places  of  <pepper-trees>  as  the  bent  of  mind 
of  the  hero  of  Raghu’s  line 9 was  toward  the  <princess  of  Videha) ; 
[246]  with  <amrta- plants)  appearing  in  other  places  as  the  time 
of  the  churning  of  the  ocean  of  milk  had  <nectar>  appearing  ; 
with  (aparajita-’pXa.nts')  at  will  as  the  might 10  of  Narayana  was 
<invincible>  at  will ; revealing  <stalks  of  bitter-apples)  in  yet 

1 Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ dominated  by  <headless  corpses)  as  the  Dandaka  forest  was  dominated 
by  <Kabandha> ; surrounded  by  many  <conjurers>  as  a universal  monarch  is  surrounded 
by  many  <kings>  ; with  <crows>  moving  about  as  heaven  has  <Bala’s  foe  [Indra]>  moving 
about  ’ ; so  also  the  Srirangam  text,  except  for  the  omission  of  the  last  simile.  For 
the  allusion  to  Kabandha,  cf.  Mahabharata , 3.  279. 

2 With  this  description  Cartellieri  (‘Subandhu  and  Bana,’  in  WZKM.  1.  132)  com- 
pares that  given  by  the  Kadambarl  (pp.  38-43,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr.  Ridding, 
pp.  16-18,  London,  1896)). 

3 The  cosmic  serpent  Sesa.  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘kingdom.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ many.’ 

6 Indra.  6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘revealing.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ of  mind.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Surapala.’  The  basis  of  the  legend  connected  with 

him  seems  to  be  thus  far  unknown. 

9 Rama. 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ form  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ (shining  with  pellucid  water)  as  the  might  of 
Narayana  was  (bright  and  invincible).’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


119 

other  places  as  the  eloquence  of  Valmiki  revealed  the  (lineage  of 
Iksvaku);  filled1  with  many  <dhak- trees>  as  Lanka  was  frequented 
by  many  <demons>  ; encompassed1  with  clumps  of  iarjuna- trees 
and  pen-reed  grass)  as  the  army  of  the  Kurus  2 was  encompassed 
with  quantities  of  <Arj una’s  arrows);  with  <many  beasts)1  as  the 
form  of  Narayana  is  (manifold) ; [247]  filled 1 with  (jack-trees, 
sandal-trees,3  white  lotuses,  and  reeds)  as  Sugrlva’s  army  was 
attended  by  (Panasa,  Candana,3  Kumuda,  and  Nala);  adorned  1 
with  isinduras  and  glory-trees),  and  decked  with  (fresh  buds)  as 
an  unwidowed  woman  is  adorned  with  a (sectarial  mark  of 
minium)  and  is  decked  with  (long  hair) ; [248]  occupied 1 by 
(owls,  crows,  and  birds,  and  filled  with  dhartarastra  geese)  as 
the  army  of  the  Kurus  was  officered  by  (Uluka,  Drona,  and 
Sakuni,  and  joined  4 by  the  sons  of  Dhrtarastra)  ; though  adorned 
with  (unfaded  caste),  it  had  a «lineage  of  no  family)),5 6  for  it  was 
adorned  with  (globe-amaranth  and  Malabar  jasmine)  and  had 
«no  bamboos  clinging  to  the  earth)) 5 ; though  revealing  (no 
terror),  it  was  «full  of  terror)),  for  it  revealed  Oiara-nut  trees)  and 
was  «full  of  reeds));  though  (always  in  perfect  health),  it  had 
a <Kgreat  abdominal  tumour)), G for  it  (ever  contained  negroes’ 
olive-wood  trees)  and  had  «high-grown  thickets))  ; [249]  though 
filled  with  (lice),  it  was  ^unmolested  by  men)),  for  it  was  filled 
with  (bees)  and  was  «rich  in  elephants’  ichor)) ; though  adorned 
with  families  of  (Brahmans),  it  had  a «lineage  of  no  honourable 
family)),  for  it  was  adorned  with  families  of  (birds)  and  had  «no 
bamboos  clinging  to  the  earth)). 

Immediately 7 the  night  passed  with  slumber  of  them  twain. 
And  by  degrees,8  when,  like  a mass  of  live  carp,  the  host  of  stars 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ in  places.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  army  of  Dhitarastra’s  sons.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ sandal-trees’  and  1 Candana.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ adorned.’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘it  had  a <hateful  lineage),  ...  for  it  had  <bamboos 
laden  with  birds).’ 

6 See  Jolly,  Medicin , pp.  79-80,  Strassbnrg,  1901. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * meanwhile.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ and  then  by  degrees’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘then  by  degrees.’ 


120 


VASAVADATTA 


had  been  removed  by  the  black  fisherman  casting  his  net1  of 
darkness  in  the  great  ocean  of  the  sky  ; [250]  when  the  mendicant 
expanded  lotus  grove,  wearing  vestments  of  red  robes 2 (and) 
bearing  a book  of  a hundred  leaves  with  reed  threads  of  unevenly 
growing  delicate  lotus-fibres,  seemed  to  pronounce  his  laws  by 
the  soft  and  very  deep  sounds  of  the  bees,3  intoxicated  by  their 
heavy  draughts  in  milking  the  drops  of  honey  ; when,  like  seeds 
of  blackness,  the  bees  were  sown  by  the  darkness,  as  by  a hus- 
bandman, in  the  white  lotuses  with  their  fields  of  flowers,  with 
their  masses  of  pollen  made  mud  by  the  juice  of  their  honey, 
with  their  petals  touched  by  the  clouds  under  the  guise  of  bees  4 * ; 
[251]  when  the  lotus6  offered  to  the  Lord  whose  garland  is  of 
rays6  a mass  of7  incense,  as  it  were,  in  the  semblance  of  high- 
stalked  white  lotuses  thronged  with  swarms  8 of  bees  with  their 
pollen  fire  ; when  the  moon 9 resembled  a mortar  whose  interior 
had  been  destroyed  by  blows  of  the  pestle  of  rising  dawn,  shaken 
by  the  two  palms  of  his  consort  Night ; when  the  hosts  of  stars 
had  vanished  like  grain  scattered  in  the  threshing  mortar ; when 
the  hosts  of  stars  seemed  to  have  flowers10  expanded  for  the 
quarters  of  heaven  that  were  bent  like  branches,  and  when 
the  disc  of  the  moon  had  fallen  like  fruit  because  of  the  monkey 
of  day  that,  like  the  ruddy  face 11  of  dawn,  had  climbed  the  tree 
of  heaven  ; [252]  when  the  cock  of  day,  with  the  lovely  appear- 
ance of  the  new  crest12  of  the  glittering  Aruna,  had  begun  to 
traverse  the  court  of  heaven,  variegated  with  the  threshed  grain 

1 Tel.  ed.,  1 launching  his  boat.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ red  robes  of  twilight.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ by  the  delightful  sounds  of  the  bees.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ when,  like  masses  of  the  seeds  of  blackness,  the  bees 
were  sown  in  the  fields  of  flowers,  whose  masses  of  pollen  were  made  mud  by  the  juice 
of  their  honey,  the  folds  of  whose  petals  were  touched  by  the  clouds.’ 

■ Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * lotus  hermitess.’ 

6 The  sun. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ a mass  of.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ filled  with  smoke  of  swarms.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ disc  of  the  moon.’ 

10  Teh  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ an  abundance  of  flowers.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ that,  having  the  ruddy  face.’ 

ls  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * appearance  of  the  crest  of  rays.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


131 

of  the  host 1 of  stars  ; when  the  district  of  Indra  2 seemed  to  say 
with  a laugh:  ‘This  Lord  of  the  Twice-Born,3  increased  by 
concourse  with  me,  will  fall 4 through  union  with  the  district  of 
Varuna  ’ 5 ; when  to  his  rising  had  climbed  the  sun,6  with  his  disc 
red,  as  it  were,  with  streams  of  blood  from  the  lordly  elephant  of 
darkness  slain  by  the  stroke  of  the  paw7  of  a ruddy  lion  ; as  if 
with  streams  of  ruddle  laved  by  the  cataracts  on  the  summit 8 of 
the  mountain  of  the  dawn ; with  the  lustre,9  so  to  say,  of  rubies 
cloven  by  the  hard  hoofs  of  lofty  steeds10;  [253]  flowing  with 
blood,  one  might  imagine,  dripping  from  the  heads  of  must 
elephants  slain  by  the  claws  of  lions 11 ; with  the  beauty,  to  all 
appearance,  of  the  China  rose  growing  on  the  summit  of  the  peak 
of  the  hill  of  dawn  ; seemingly  with  the  delightsome  flavour  of 
Him  who  gives  prosperity  12  to  the  affairs  of  the  threefold  world  ; 
as  if  with  his  hand  outstretched  to  seize  the  white  lotuses13  of  the 
stars  ; tawny  with  the  saffron  colour  of  a wanton  beauty  of 
the  east 14 ; the  jewel  in  the  hood  of  the  lordly  serpent  of  the 
eastern  mount ; the  golden15  bud  in  the  sapphire-tree  of  heaven  ; 
[254]  the  golden  urn  in  the  rampart 16  of  the  city  of  the  sky  ; like 
to  a jar  of  molten  iron  ; a drop  of  safflower  extract  on  the  fore- 
head of  the  east 17  ; the  single  flower  of  the  forest 18  creeper  of 

I Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ of  the  host.’  2 The  east.  3 The  moon. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ is  falling.’ 

6  The  west,  with  a punning  allusion  to  Laksmi,  the  wife  of  Varuna. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘the  blessed  sun.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘by  the  fall  of  the  hard  claws.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ streams  from  cataracts  of  ruddle  on  the  summits.’ 

9 Srirangam  text,  ‘ dust.’  10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘galloping  steeds.’ 

II  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  transpose  this  after  the  following  clause  and  make  it 
read,  ‘flowing  with  streams  of  blood,  one  might  imagine,  dripping  from  the  heads  of 
must  elephants  slain  by  the  claws  of  lions  of  the  eastern  mount.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘red,  as  it  were,  with  colour  eager  to  prosper’;  similarly  the  Srirangam 
text. 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  forest  of  the  white  lotuses.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  rays  tawny  as  saffron  ; the  golden  mirror,  as  it 
were,  of  a wanton  beauty  of  the  east.' 

15  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ golden.’ 

16  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ an  urn  full  of  gold  in  the  eastern  door.’ 

17  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a drop  forming  a sectarial  mark  of  saffron  set  on  the 
forehead  of  a damsel  of  the  east.’ 

18  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘young.’ 


122 


vAsavadattA 


dawn  ; like  to  a thread  of  cloth,  red  with  Bengal  madder,  woven 
with  threads  of  the  colour  of  the  dawn ; seeming  to  be  the  disc 
of  a golden  dinar  of  the  east ; the  magic  globe,  so  to  say,  of  the 
Vidyadhara  of  day ; even  as  the  foot  of  a world-elephant,  red 
with  the  colour  of  ruddle;  the  thief  of  the  darkness  of  night1  ; 
when  the  young  dawn  was  arising  ruddy  as  a bit  of  fresh2  coral; 
like  a chowry,  dyed  with  Bengal  madder,3  on  an  elephant  of  the 
quarters ; seeming  to  emit  the  blood  of  the  battleground 4 of 
the  Mahabharata  on  the  plains  of  Kuru  ; [255]  anointed,  as  it 
were,  with  the  beauty  of  the  bow  of  the  Lord  5 6 of  the  Gods  among 
them  that  split c the  clouds ; simulating  the  red  cloth  in  the 
huts  7 of  Buddhist  hermitages  ; like  to  the  colour  of  safflower  in 
the  streamers  of  banners  ; the  ripening  of  fruit,  so  to  say,  among 
the  jujubes  ; beauteous  as  a mass  8 of  the  saffron  of 9 the  courtyard 
of  the  mighty  palace  of  the  sky ; like  the  red  entrance-curtain  of 
the  actor 10  Time  ; and  11  when  the  multitude  of  the  rays  of  him 
whose  rays  are  heat  had  suddenly  become  hot,  as  if  from  taking 
the  burning  grief  of  the  hearts  12  of  the  Brahminy  ducks  that  were 
tremulous  with  gentle  talk ; from  the  entrance,  so  to  say,  of 
majesty  commingled  with  flame  13 ; from  union,  in  all  seeming, 
with  the  fire  which  is14  the  beauteous  jewel  of  the  lord  of  day; — 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ like  a ball  of  madder  cloth ; the  disc  of  a golden  dinar,  as  it  were,  in 
the  girdle  of  a beauty  of  the  east,  fastened  with  the  ruddy  threads  of  twilight ; <gathering 
the  stars  together)  as  Kumara  {destroyed  Taraka)  ; with  beautiful  (lotuses)  as  the  Lote- 
Bom  God  [Visnu]  had  beautiful  (Padma  [Laksmi]>;  beloved  of  (Chaya)  as  a traveller 
(delights  in  shade) ; being  the  (sun)  as  Indra  is  (Gopati) ; even  as  the  foot  of  a world- 
elephant,  red  with  the  colour  of  the  ruddle  of  the  eastern  mount ; the  thief  of  the 
darkness  of  dawn  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

2 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ fresh.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ like  a mass  of  Bengal  madder.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ of  the  battleground.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘of  the  Lord.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ hid.’  The  reference  is,  of  course,  to  the  victory  of  Indra  over  the  cloud- 
demons. 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ branches  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ branches  of  the  trees.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ mass  of.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘in.’  10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘great  actor.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ and.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ as  if  from  taking  the  grief  from  the  treasury  of  the  hearts.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘from  the  entrance,  so  to  say,  of  burning  splendour.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ the  fire  which  is.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


123 


(then,)  unconscious  because  of  the  condition  of  his  body,  which 
was  empty  of  food1  in  consequence  of  his  wakefulness  all  the 
night,  wearied  by  roving  over  many  hundred  ydjanas,2,  [256] 
(and)  with  every  sense  benumbed,  Kandarpaketu,  being  seized 
by  slumber  which  came  at  that  time,3  fell  asleep  together  with 
Vasavadatta,  who  was  in  the  same  condition,  in  a bower  of 
creepers  which  was  delightful  with  the  hum  of  bees  flitting  about, 
infatuated  and  greedy 4 for  the  perfume  of  the  flowers  swayed  by 
the  gentle  breeze. 

Thereupon,  when  the  sun  had  climbed  to  noon,5  displaying  the 
<sky>  as  a merchant  displays  his  <cloth>;  dighting  up  every 
quarter  of  heaven)  as  a mighty  forest  fire  dandles  all  its  fuel),6 
Kandarpaketu,7  perceiving,  in  some  way  or  other,  that  the  bower 
Of  creepers  lacked  his  beloved,  and  starting  up  and  [257]  gazing 
here  and  there,  now  on  the  bushes,8  now  between  the  creepers, 
now  on  the  tree-tops,  now  in  the  hidden  wells,9  now  on  the  heaps 
of  dry  leaves,  now  on  the  sky,  now  on  the  quarters  of  heaven 
and 10  the  spaces  between  them,  made  lamentation  as  he  wandered 
about  with  his  heart  ceaselessly  burning  with  the  fire  of  separa- 
tion11: ‘O  beloved  Vasavadatta!  Let  me  behold  thee!  [258] 
Hast  thou  disappeared  in  jest12?  Thou  knowest  what  pains  are 
suffered  by  me 13  for  thy  sake  ! Dear 14  Makaranda  ! Behold  the 15 
sorry  sport  of  fate  with  me ! What  meritorious  deed  hath  not 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ which  was  subject  to  emptiness  of  food.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a road  of  many  hundred  yojanas' 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ easy  to  gain  at  that  time.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘noisy,  infatuated,  and  greedy.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ to  the  middle  of  the  sky.’ 

s Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ <purifying  every  region)  as  the  tree  of  paradise 

(accomplishes  every  wish).’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ awakening.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ trees.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ now  in  the  deep  wells,  now  on  the  tops  of  the  lofty 
trees.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * and  now.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ with  the  fire  of  separation.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ enough  of  jesting  ! Thou  hast  disappeared’ ! 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘by  me.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ dear  friend.’ 

15  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ this.’ 


124 


vAsavadattA 


been  done  by  me1?  Alas,  my  destiny  of  evil  fruitage2!  Alas, 
the  course  of  Time,  hard  to  overcome  ! Alas,  the  planets’  most 
cruel  glance3  askance!  Alas,  the  unjust  fruition4  of  my  elders’ 
blessings  ! Alas,  the  result  of  my  evil  dreams  and  ill  omens  ! Is 
there  no  escaping  destiny  in  any  way?  [259]  Have  not  the 
sciences5  been  sufficiently  studied?  Have  not  my  teachers  been 
duly  honoured  ? Have  not  the  (sacred)  fires  been  revered  ? 
Have  the  gods  on  earth 6 been  insulted7?  Have  not  the  kine 
been  circumambulated  ? Hath  not  fearlessness  been  inspired  in 
refugees  ’ ? 

[260]  Thus  lamenting  in  ways  manifold,8  passing  forth  from 
the  forest  toward  the  south  and  going 9 for  a considerable 
distance10  along  the  great  ocean’s  lagoon  with11  its  new  reeds, 
spikenard, lotuses,  niculas,  tamarisks,12  rattan-canes,  and  medlars13; 
with  its  borders  overgrown  with  many  poonga- oil  plants,  Bengal 
quinces,  leaf  hermitages,  and  conessi- bark  trees14;  with  its  fair 
Madagascar  potato  groves  eagerly  tasted  by  the  great  bees  ; 
[261]  with  swarms  of  bees  clustering  on  the  stems  of  young 
varuna- trees  which  covered  over  the  wide-spreading  masses  of 
rattan  creepers 15 16 ; with  its  trees  smeared  with  liquid  showers  from 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ what  unholy  deed  hath  aforetime  been  done  by  me  ’ ? 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ alas,  the  evil  fruitage  of  destiny  ’ ! 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ fall.’  4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ discrepancy.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ hath  not  science.’  G The  Brahmans. 

7 Tel.  ed.  omits  this  question. 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ desirous  of  death.’ 

9 The  passage  ‘ going  ...  he  (then)  saw  ’ is  compared  with  Harsacarita,  pp.  262- 

264,  Bombay  ed.,  1892  (tr.  Thomas,  pp.  233-235,  London,  1897),  and  translated  by 

Thomas,  ‘Subandhu  and  Bana,’  in  WZKM.  12.  21-27. 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a journey  of  considerable  distance.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ abounding  in.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  omits  * tamarisks.’ 

13  Srirangam  text,  ‘abounding  in  new  reeds,  spikenard,  lotuses,  niculas,  tamarisks, 
•vanjulas,  and  c^zV-pines,  and  with  multitudes  of  poonga-  oil  plants  and  Bengal  quinces 
Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘poonga- oil  plants  and  Bengal  quinces.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  many  leaf  hermitages  variously  built  and  with 

conessi- bark  trees.’ 

16  TeL  ed.,  ‘ with  swarms  of  bees  clustering  on  the  branches  of  the  varuna- trees 
which  covered  over  the  wide-spreading  masses  of  mango  creepers  that  were  eagerly 
tasted  by  female  bees.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


125 


masses  of  honey  from  dripping  hives,  broken  open  by  monkeys 1 ; 
[262]  dense  with  palmyra-palms,  marsh  date-palms,  betel-nut 
palms,  kamila- trees,  and  iron-wood  trees 2 ; impenetrable  with 
clumps  of  camphor-trees,  Arabian  jasmines,  screw-pines,  mountain 
ebony,  coral-trees,  citrons,  basil,  and  rose-apple  trees  3 ; [263]  with 
bowers  of  river  reeds  filled  with  the  cries  of  unhampered  galli- 
nules4  ; with  twigs  of  luxuriant5  mangoes  inhabited  by  koels6  with 
their  massed,  sharp  notes ; with  spreading  boughs 7 pressed  by 
families  of  cocks  in  their  swaying  nests  8 ; with  rows  of  globe- 
amaranth  horripilated  with  hosts  of  buds  ; with  its  ten  quarters 
anointed  with  the  beauty  of  the  red  ushoka  twigs ; with  masses 
of  dust 9 from  quantities  of  the  pollen  of  full-blown  iron-wood 
trees  10 ; producing  delight  for  mankind  by  the  sweet  humming 
of  bees  maddened  by  clusters  of  flowers  tawny  with  pollen  11 ; 
horribly 12  scratching  the  temples  of  fearless  elephants  rubbed  by 
the  boughs  of  the  trunks 13  of  the  wingseeds  that  were  darkened 
with  ichor74;  [264]  with  hollow  trunks  of  conessi- bark  trees 
turned  into  homes  for  the  silk-cotton  trees  15  which  are  propagated 

1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  the  spray  of  liquid  showers  of  masses  of  dripping  honey  broken  by 
monkeys’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  lofty  cocoanut-palms,  betel-nut  palms,  palmyra-palms,  tamala- 
trees,  marsh  date-palms,  kamila-tiees,  iron-wood  trees,  nagkassar- trees,  and  camphor- 
trees  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

3 Tel.  ed.,  1 impenetrable  with  bushes  of  Arabian  jasmines,  screw-pines,  mountain 
ebony,  bowstring-hemp,  rose-apple  trees,  citrons,  and  basil ; with  branches  of  many 
jack-trees  rubbed  together  by  the  wind  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  numbers  of  bowers  on  the  river-banks  filled  with  the  cries  of 
gallinules  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ luxuriant.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ by  thronging,  eager  bees.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘with  many  spreading  boughs.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ in  their  swaying  nests.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  its  edges  made  gray.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘pollen  of  the  expanded  flowers  of  iron-wood  trees’;  similarly  the 
Srirangam  text. 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘bees  glittering  from  the  sinduvara-irzzs,  tawny  with  masses  of  pollen; 
with  cloves,  champaks,  mahwa-tiees,  purging  cassias,  wingseeds,  and  kadambas' ; 
similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

12  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ horribly.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  * of  the  trunks.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ scraping  the  ichor-darkened  cheeks.’ 

15  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  crooked,  hollow  trunks  of  silk-cotton  trees.’ 


126 


vasavadattA 


within  a few  days  ; with  delightful  sounds  made  by  the  tremulous, 
twittering  hen-sparrows  mating  with  the  cock-sparrows ; famed 
for  clever  1 chickores  renowned  for  going  with  2 their  mates  ; with 
young  hares  3 resting  comfortably  on  the  surfaces  of  very  smooth  4 
mountain  rocks  ; [265]  with  hosts  of  lizards  dwelling  fearlessly  in 
holes  in  the  roots  of  the  indranls ; with  undismayed  antelopes  5 ; 
with  the  sport  of  hosts  of 6 unmolested  mungooses  ; with  opening 
mango  buds  surrounded  by  flocks  of  sweet  koels ; with  herds  of 
yaks  chewing  their  cuds  in  the  mango  forest ; having  for  its 
drum  7 the  flapping  of  the  ears  of  herds  of  elephants,  slow  with 
slumber  from  8 the  roar  of  the  waterfalls,  sportful  and  delightsome 
to  hear,  on  the  mountain  slopes ; with  herds  of  deer  delighted 
by  the  notes  of  the  songs9  of  kinnaris  close  by  10  ; [266]  with  the 
edges  of  the  snouts  of  young  boars  shining  with  the  flow  of 
crushed  greenish-yellow  turmeric  11 ; with  multitudes  of  jalakas 
humming  about  masses  of  coral-bead  plants  12  ; filled  with  shells 
of  pink  insects  split  open  by  the  tips  of  the  nails  of  young 
monkeys  that  had  been  angered  by  their  bites13;  with  multitudes 
of  lions  illumined  with  beautiful  heavy  manes  smeared  with 
quantities  of  blood  14  from  must  elephants’  frontal-lobes  split  open 
by  terrible  blows  from  masses  of  claws  sharp  as  the  tips  of  the 
thunderbolt 15  ; he  (then)  saw  the  ocean  skilfully  imitating,  by  the 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ clever.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘eager  to  consort  with.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  multitudes  of  young  hares.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ sweet  smelling.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ herds  of  antelopes.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘hosts  of.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  the  drum-noise  of.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘slow  from  the  joy  of  slumber,  (yet)  anxious  to  hear’;  similarly  the 
Srirangam  text. 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ delighting  in  hearing  the  song.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ neighbouring.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ delighted  with  the  noise  and  the  flow  of  turmeric.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  litters  of  wood  hedgehogs  in  many  bowers  of  coral-bead  plants’; 
similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  multitudes  of  worms  in  the  cavities  of  trumpet-flower  trees  split 
open  by  slaps  from  the  paws  of  young  monkeys  that  had  been  angered  by  the  bites  of 
wood  flies’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

14  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ichor.’  15  Quoted  by  Vamana,  Kavyalamkaravrtti,  I.  3.  26. 


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127 


mass  of  its  exceedingly  active  waves,1  the  God  2 that  hath  the 
short  axe  upraised  by  his  staff-like  arm 3 in  his  revel  dance ; 
[267]  with  its  edges  charming  because  of  lines  of  foam  that  seemed 
to  be  the  emblems  of  Ocean’s4  victory ; that  resembled  delight- 
ful 5 clusters  of  sloughs  of  the  family  of  ^esa  6 ; masses  of  atoms, 
as  it  were,  of  the  remnants  of  the  moon  7 ; streams  of  cosmetic,  in 
all  seeming,  for  the  sport  of  LaksmI ; like  to  bits  of  the  sandal 
paste  of  the  sea  nymphs  8 ; a second  heaven,  so  to  speak,  come 
down  to  earth  under  the  guise  of  a sea ; tempting  the  birds,  as 
with  pearls,  by  masses  of  drops  of  rising  spray  9 ; with  its  bays 
filled  with  mountains  of  many  winged  creatures 10  that  had  come 
to  seek  security ; dug  by  hundreds 11  of  the  sons  of  Sagara 12 ; with 
uprooted  coral-trees 13 ; a mine  of  beautiful  gems  and  jewels  ; 
filled  with  hosts  of 14  monkeys  and  dolphins  ; [268]  with  multi- 
tudes of  crocodiles  roving  about  in  their  desire  for  mouthfuls  of 
shoals  of  sakulas 15  ; filled  with  restless  timihgilas 16  ; with  thickets 
of  carambolas,  cloves,  and  citrons  swaying  in  the  tide  (and)  rocked 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ on  account  of  its  shore  being  lashed  by  an  abundance 
of  exceedingly  active  water.’ 

2 Siva.  3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  * many  staff-like  arms.’ 

4 Srirangam  text,  ‘ Varuna’s.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  * delightful.’ 

* Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ like  consorts  of  ambrosia  ; sisters  uterine,  so  to 

say,  of  light.’ 

7 Srirangam  text,  ‘ disc  of  the  moon  ’ ; Tel.  ed.,  ‘a  series  of  atoms,  as  it  were,  of  the 
disc  of  the  moon.’  The  date  of  the  composition  of  the  Vasavadatta  forbids  us  to  see 
in  the  mention  of  the  moon  ( jaiahka ) a reference  to  the  Gauda  king  Sasarika  against 
whom  Harsa  made  war  ( Harsacariia , tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  pp.  x,  275,  London, 
1896;  Ettinghausen,  Harsa  Vardhana,  empereur  et  poke  de  I’Inde  septentrionale, 
pp.  10,  38,  42,  Paris,  1906;  cf.  also  above,  Introduction,  p.  10). 

8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ seeming  to  hold  a mirror.’ 

9 TeL  ed.,  ‘ like  to  bits  of  the  unguent  of  camphor  streams  on  the  bosoms  of  the  sea- 
nymphs.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a second  heaven,  so  to  speak,  come  down  to  earth ; 
tempting  the  birds,  as  with  pearls,  by  masses  of  spray  rising  from  the  pellucid  water.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  host.’ 

12  Cf.  Mahabharata , 3.  106-109. 

13  Tel.  ed.,  4 with  coral-trees  beautified  by  the  mouths  of  mussels  ’ ; Srirangam  text, 
‘with  a mass  of  water  going  to  the  submarine  fire;  with  the  coral-tree  won  by  Indra.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ hosts  of.’ 

15  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘flocks  of  birds.’ 

16  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ filled  with  motionless  whales  and  timihgilas .’ 


128 


vAsavadattA 


by  the  circling  mountain  of  the  plantain-trees  on  its  bank 1 ; with 
the  young  saivala  on  the  sand  banks  in  its  waters  2 trampled  by 
pairs  of  mermen  alarmed  by  the  terrible  swaying,  produced  by 
wave  and  wind,  of  palmyra-palms,  marsh  date-palms,  and  taliera- 
palms 3 ; with  letters  on  its  banks  scrawled  by  the  edges  of 
whelks 4 that  were  distressed  because  their  mouths  were  torn  by 
tips  of  coral  prongs  ; with  its  waters  crowded  by  flocks  of  birds  of 
Garuda’s  race  ; seeming  to  have  the  completion  of  its  slow  churn- 
ing still  unfinished  because  of  its  eddying  whirlpools  ; epileptic, 
as  it  were,  because  of  its  foam5;  [269]  filled  with  the  goodly 
delights  of  drink,  one  might  fancy,  because  of  the  perfume  of  the 
medlars  on  its  banks  6 ; angry,7  so  to  say,  because  of  its  roarings  ; 
appearing  to  be  distressed  because  of  its  sighings  8 ; seamed  with 
frowns,  it  might  be  thought,  because  of  its  waves  ; resembling  an 
elephant  corral  because  of  Rama’s  bridge  ; the  birthplace  of 
<salt>  as  the  womb  of  KumbhinasI  was  the  birthplace  of  <Lavana>; 
<lavish  in  its  duties  toward  the  wide-spread  9 rivers  that  were  its 
spouses)  as  grammar  has  <abundant  comprehensive  feminines,  i 
and  u declensions,  and  gerunds)10 ; showing  a great  <bed>  as  the 
retinue  of  a king  shows  great  Cministers)  ; with  Chisses)  emitted  by 
many  <serpents>  that  had  come  to  its  <waters>  as  an  elephant’s 
place  of  bondage  has  <trumpetings>  emitted  by  many  <elephants> 
that  have  come  to  the  <tying-place) ; [270]  adorned  with 
<, ambhojacamaras  and  fish)  as  the  series  of  Visvamitra’s  sons  was 


1 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ impenetrable  because  of  the  thickets  of  cardamoms,  carambolas,  cloves, 
and  citrons  swaying  in  the  circuit  of  the  plantain  forest  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

2 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ in  its  waters  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ low-lying,  small  iaivala' 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ mermen  moving  in  the  forest  of  taliera- palms,  terrible,  very  tremulous, 
and  howling  with  wave  and  wind  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ by  the  noisy,  sharp  tips  of  the  whelks  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  * tips  of  the 
sharp  nails  of  the  whelks.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  masses  of  its  white  foam.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘possessed  of  the  perfume  of  drink,  one  might  fancy,  because  of  the 
perfume  of  its  cardamoms  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ because  of  the  perfume  of  the  medlars  on 
its  shore.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  * noisy.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ exhalations  of  its  serpents.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ wide-spread  ’ and  ‘ comprehensive.’ 

10  See  Pdnini,  1.  4.  3 ; 3.  I.  95. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


129 


adorned  with  (lotuses,  chowries,  and  the  Matsyas)1 ; the  refuge  of 
(mountains)  as  a good  man  is  the  refuge  of  his  (family)2 ; charming 
in  that  it  was  the  (abode  of  Visnu)  as  a noble  man  is  charming 
because  of  his  (unshaken  firmness) ; with  (crocodiles  and  dolphins 
ready)  as  an  upright  prince  (promotes  the  affairs  of  good  folk) ; 
with  its  (surface  overflowed  by  the  Karatoya)  as  a wrathful  man 
has  his  (face  covered  with  water  from  his  hands) ; [271]  sprinkled 
with  the  water  of  the  (Candana)  as  one  separated  (from  his 
beloved)  is  sprinkled  with  (sandal)  water ; followed  by  the 
(Narmada)  as  a voluptuary  is  followed  by  (jesters)3;  though  it 
had  (cast  forth  its  venom),4  it  showed  an  abundance  of  «poison», 
for  it  (raised  aloft  a mass  of  dark  blue)  and  showed  an  abundance 
of  «\vater» ; though  it  was  very  (old),  «fair  women  clung  about 
its  neck»,  for  it  was  very  (great)  and  its  ((vicinity  was  filled  with 
Madagascar  potatoes» ; though  it  was  the  place  of  origin  of  (the 
gods),  it  was  ((not  ruled  by  the  gods»,  for  it  was  the  place  of 
origin  of  (Sura) 4 and  was  (Cruled  by  the  demons». 

[272]  And  he  thought : ‘Ah,  me  ! Kindness  hath  been  shown 
by  Fate  even  though  it  hath  wrought  injury,  since  this  ocean 
hath  been  brought 5 within  the  range  of  mine  eyes  ! Therefore, 
abandoning  my  body  here,  I shall  quench  the  fire  of  separation 
from  my  love.6  Even  though  desertion  of  the  body7  is  not 
permitted  one  free  from  disease,  yet  it  must  be  done.8  Doth  not 
every  one  do  deeds  which  ought  to  be  done  or  ought  not  to  be 
done  ? Thus,  what  is  not  done  by  each  one  in  vain  life 9 ? 
[273]  As  for  example  10 : (the  Lord  of  the  Twice-Born)  ravished 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ adorned  with  (lotuses  and  beautiful  fish>  as  the  series 
of  Vi&vamitra’s  sons  was  adorned  with  (Ambhoja,  Caru,  and  Matsya).’ 

* Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  superiority  in  (mountains)  as  a good  man  has  superiority  in  (family).’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  (fishes  and  crabs)  as  the  zodiacal  signs  have 
(Pisces  and  Cancer) ; adorned  with  many  (pearls)  as  a voluptuary  is  adorned  with 
many  (courtesans).’ 

4 Namely,  at  the  churning  of  the  ocean  by  the  gods  and  demons. 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ hath  come.’ 

0 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ therefore  I abandon  my  body  here.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ of  life.’  8 Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ by  us.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.,  ‘every  one  doth  not  do  everything  he  should  in  vain  life.  What,  indeed, 

is  not  done  by  whom  ? ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

10  A similar  list  of  misdeeds  of  divine  and  amous  personages  is  given  in  the  Daia- 

K 


vAsavadattA 


130 

his  <teacher’s  wife) 1 and  <a  most  excellent  Brahman)  ravished 
the  <wife  of  his  elders).  Pururavas  was  destroyed  because  of  his 
greed  for  the  wealth  of  Brahmans.2  Nahusa,  lusting  for  another’s 
spouse,  became  a great  <serpent>  and  became  a great  <profligate>.3 
Yayati  fell,  <having  wedded)  a Brahman  girl,4  and  <took  hold 
of  the  hand)  of  a Brahman  girl.4  [274]  Sudyumna  <became  a 
woman),5  so  to  say,  and  was  <fond  of  women).  The  cruelty  of 
Somaka’s  murder  of  <Jantu>  was  notorious6  and  the  cruelty  of 
his  murder  of  diving  creatures)  was  notorious.6  Purukutsa  was 
despised.7  Kuvalayasva  carried  off8  <Asvatara’s  daughter)  and 
carried  off8  <a  young  she-mule).  [275]  Nrga  became  a lizard.9 
<Kali>  conquered  Nala  and  <strife>  conquered  Nala.10  Samvarana 
became  infatuated  with  the  daughter  of  <Mitra>11  and  became 
infatuated  with  the  daughter  of  <his  friend).  [276]  Dasaratha 
died  through  madness  for  his  beloved  <Rama>  and  through  the 
madness  of  a beloved  <wife).  Kartavlrya  perished  through  his 

kumaracarita,  p.  72,  Bombay  ed.,  1898  (tr.  Meyer,  p.  209,  Leipzig,  1902).  This 
passage  of  Subandhu  is  compared  with  its  elaboration  in  the  Harsacarita,  pp.  20  sqq., 
Jamnu  ed.,  1879  (tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  pp.  74-75,  London,  1897),  and  translated 
by  Cartellieri,  ‘Subandhu  and  Bana,’  in  WZKM.  1.  126-132  (cf.  also  13.  68).  For 
other  lists  of  precedents  see  Harsacarita , pp.  199,  221-224,  288,  Bombay  ed.,  1892 
(tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  pp.  169, 192-194,  258,  London,  1897)  ; Kadambart , pp.  166, 
339-340,  341,  600,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr.  Ridding,  pp.  64,  137,  138,  200-201,  London, 
1896). 

1 The  reference  is,  of  course,  to  the  famous  rape  of  Tara,  the  wife  of  Brhaspati,  by 
the  moon  ; cf.  Harivam'sa , 25  ; Visnitpurana,  4.  6. 

2 Cf.  Mahabharata,  1.  75. 

8  Tel.  ed.,  ‘lusting  for  Indra’s  spouse,  went  to  serpenthood  (or,  ‘profligacy’)’; 
similarly  the  Srirangam  text;  cf.  Mahabharata,  5.  11-17. 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘the  daughter  of  a household  priest’ ; cf.  Mahabharata,  1.  78-86. 

6  See  Ramayana,  7.  87-90. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ in  the  world  ’ ; cf.  Mahabharata,  3.  127-128. 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘despised,  as  it  were.’  The  legend  to  which  Subandhu  here  alludes  is 
uncertain,  and  is  perhaps  due  simply  to  a popular  etymology  of  Purukutsa  as  the 
‘ much  despised’  (cf.  kutsay,  ‘to  despise’).  Sayana,  however,  on  Rig- Veda,  4.  42.  8 
(cf.  also  Sieg,  Sagenstoffe  des  Rgveda,  1.  97,  Stuttgart,  1902  ; Muir,  Original  Sanskrit 
Texts,  i2.  267,  London,  1872),  mentions  an  itihasa,  or  legend,  which  states  that 
Purukutsa  was  once  imprisoned,  so  that  his  realm  had  no  ruler.  His  chief  wife  then 
prayed  to  the  seven  Rsis  for  a son,  whereupon,  in  answer,  she  gave  birth  to  Trasadasyu. 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ went  to’ ; cf.  Markandeyapurana , 21-22. 

9 See  Mahabharata , 13.  70  ; Harivamla,  1 7 1. 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Nala  was  conquered  by  Kali  (or,  ‘ by  strife  ’).’ 

11  S Mahabharata,  1.173-175. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


131 

oppression  of  <a  Brahman  for  a cow> 1 and  through  his  oppression 
of  ttows1  and  Brahmans).  Yudhisthira  deserted  truth  in  the 
forefront  of  battle.2  Santanu  wept  in  the  forest  on  account  of 
excessive  affection.3  Thus  no  one  is  immaculate.4  Therefore, 
I,  too,  will  abandon  my  body.’ 

[277]  So  thinking,  he  approached  the  water  of  a broad,  sandy 
bank,  the  hiding  places  of  whose  fish  were  pierced  by  the  tips 
of  the  sharp  talons  of  the  ospreys ; with  the  scales  of  shoals  of 
sakulas  and  the  excrement  of  otters  5 ; with  its  margin  surrounded 
by  rows  of  carapaces  of  horrible  crabs  that  had  been  abandoned 
by  packs  of  jackals ; with  its  environs  whitened 6 by  multitudes 
of  cranes,  motionless  and  intent  on  devouring  shoals  of  carp  that 
were  agitated  and  wavering  because  of  the  exceedingly 7 unsteady 
flow  of  the  water ; which  was  very  cool,  being  united  with  the 
motion  of  the  wind  that  was  generated  by  quantities  of  drops 8 
of  water  shaken  by  the  sport  of  schools  of  extremely  active 
Gangetic  porpoises ; [278]  with  its  uneven  banks  seamed  by  the 
tips  of  veiy  young  wild  9 buffaloes’  horns  that  dropped  off  daily ; 
tuneful  with  the  sweet  songs  of  flocks  of  continually  restless 
dhartarastra  geese  ; [279]  with  the  soil  along  its  waters  crushed 
by  the  repose  of  mermen  and  bright  with  the  rays  of  the  sun 10  ; 
delightful  with  the  humming  of  bees11  that  had  settled  on 
hundreds  of  mighty12  elephants,  whose  sloping  cheeks  were 
flecked  with  exceedingly  copious  ichor ; with  its  circumference 
filled  with  multitudes  of  gems 13  that  had  fallen  in  the  dance  of 


1 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ for  a cow’  and  ‘ of  cows  cf.  Mahabharata,  3.  x 15-116. 

2 Tel.  ed.  omits  this  sentence.  3 See  Mahabharata,  1.  100-101. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ thus,  therefore,  no  one  in  the  world  is  immaculate.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘filled  with  broad  fish-scales  pierced  by  the  tips  of  the  talons  of  the 

ospreys;  mottled  with  the  accumulated  excrement  of  otters’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ much  whitened.’  7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘exceedingly.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘with  its  tamalas  cooled  by  contact  with  quantities 

of  drops.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘wild.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  the  earth  on  its  banks  crushed  by  the  repose  of  mermen,  bright  with 
the  rays  of  the  sun,  and  tuneful  with  the  humming  of  bees  and  with  beautiful  flocks  of 
continually  restless  dhartarastra  geese  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  swarms  of  bees  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ humming  of  swarms  of  bees.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ mighty.’  13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ serpents.’ 


IC  2 


132 


vAsavadattA 


the  mass  of  the  water  of  the  ocean,1  shaken  by  the  right  mobile 
wind  ; like  2 a strip  of  slough  cast  by  the  serpent  of  the  ocean  5 ; 
the  mirror,  as  it  were,  of  earth  ; the  crystal  pavement,  so  to  say, 
of  Varuna.4 

Then,  having  bathed  and  the  like,5  he  began  to  descend  to  the 
water 6 to  abandon  his  body.  Thereupon,  while  the  sharks  were 
kindly,  the  fish  free  from  envy,  the  bees7  not  mean,  [280]  the 
tortoises  affectionate,8  the  crocodiles  not  cruel,  the  dolphins  not 
terrible,  (and)  the  Gangetic  porpoises  not  murderous,  there  came 
a heavenly  voice9:  ‘Noble  Kandarpaketu,  again,  at  no  long 
time,  shall  there  be  union  of  thee  with  thy  beloved.  Cease, 
therefore,  from  thy  resolve  to  die  ’ ! Hearing  this,  he  desisted 
from  death,10  and  eager  to  get  food  to  sustain  his  body  because  of 
his  desire  of  reunion  with  his  beloved,  he  went  along  the  shore  of 
the  mighty  ocean.11  Then  Kandarpaketu 12  passed  considerable 
time  wandering  here  and  there,  living  on  fruit  and  the  like  in  the 
forest. 

Finally,  after  the  lapse  of  several  months,13  came  the  rainy  sea- 
son, with  <conjoined  deep  rivers)  as  he  who  sings  to  the  kakali 
has  a (continuous  low  note)  ; [281]  with  dancing  (peacocks)  as  the 
eventide  has  (Siva)  dancing ; producing  (much  pen-reed  grass)  as 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ in  the  breakup  of  the  water.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ like.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a serpent  going  in  the  water  of  the  ocean.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘with  <rubies>  as  a lotus-grove  has  a <red  colour) ; 
with  (branches  of  coral)  as  a forest  district  has  (birds  and  branches  of  trees);  with 
(mussels)  as  a coward  has  (fear) ; attended  by  many  (pearls)  as  Visnu  is  attended  by 
many  (emancipated  ascetics).’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘having  performed  all  the  duties  of  bathing  and  the  like.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ water  of  the  ocean.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ shoals  of  fish  ’ ; the  Srirangam  text  omits  the  phrase. 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘devoid  of  longing.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ there  came  a voice  from  heaven.’  For  other  instances 
of  intended  suicide  thus  divinely  prevented  see  Kadamban,  pp.  332-333,  569-570, 
Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr.  Ridding,  pp.  133,  195,  London,  1896). 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ he  desisted  indeed  from  undertaking  death.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  omits  this  clause;  Srirangam  text,  ‘then  he  went  to  the  forest  along  the 
shore,  eager  to  get  food  to  sustain  his  body  because  of  his  hope  of  reunion  with  his 
beloved.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ he.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ but  finally,  after  the  lapse  of  several  days.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


*33 

/ 

Kumara’s  peacock  <bears  Sarajanman) 1 ; quelling  the  <expanse  of 
dust)  as  a great 2 ascetic  quells  the  <tide  of  passion) ; with  water- 
giving <hail>  as  an  anchorite  has  a water -giving  <pot> ; showing  a 
wandering  of  many  <ships>  as  the  time  of  doom  shows  a wandering 
of  many  <suns>  ; with  <catakas  eager 3 because  of  the  clouds)  as  an 
unmolested  forest  district  has  (exceedingly  curious3  gazelles); 
[283]  (giving  joy  to  the  husbandman)  as  Revati’s  tender  hand 
(inspired  courage  in  Balarama).4 

The  slender  lightning  shone  like  the  bejewelled  5 boat  of  Love 
in  the  sky  that  seemed  to  be  a pleasure  pool  with  a forest  of  blue 
lotuses  which  were  the  riven  clouds 6 ; the  dancing  cord,  as  it 
were,  of  a Candala  maiden  who  was  the  LaksmI 7 of  the  clouds  ; 
[283]  even  as  a garland  8 for  the  gate  of  the  palace  of  the  sky  ; a 
row  of  nail  marks  upon  the  cloud,  in  all  seeming,  given  for 
remembrance  by  the  departing  heat  of  day9;  the  jewelled10 
girdle  strand,  one  might  fancy,  of  a beauty  of  the  sky ; the  lovely 
clustering 11  blossoms,  so  to  say,  of  the  coral-tree  of  heaven  ; like 
to  a begemmed  stick 12  for  cleaning  Rati’s  nails ; the  jewelled 
shell,  it  might  be  termed,13  of  the  God  whose  banner  is  of  flowers.14 
The  cloud 15  seemed  to  vomit  forth,  like  a crane,  what  appeared 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  {lofty  pen-reed  grass)  as  Kumara’s  peacock  has 
Sarajanman  mounted  upon  it).’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ great.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ proud.’  According  to  the  conventions  of  Sanskrit 

literature,  the  cataka  ( Cuculus  melanoleucus)  is  supposed  to  live  only  on  the  raindrops 
which  it  drinks. 

* Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ <loud-resounding>  as  the  lord  of  Lanka  [Ravana]  had  (Meghanada) ; 
{dark  with  clouds)  as  Vindhya  is  {intensely  dark)  ’ ; so  also  the  Srirangam  text,  which 
adds  ‘{with  swollen  clouds)  as  young  women  have  (plump  breasts).’ 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘golden  and  bejewelled.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ dark  with  a forest  of  riven  blue  lotuses’;  similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ dark  LaksmI.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘jewelled  garland.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.,  ‘given,  in  all  seeming,  upon  the  breast  of  his  sky  spouse  by  her  dark 
departing  lover,  the  heat  of  day.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ beauteous.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ clustering.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ stone  pick.’ 

19  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ the  jewelled  lance,  as  it  were,  even  as  the  pleasure  staff  ’ ; Srirangam  text, 
• the  jewelled  pleasure  staff.’ 

14  Kama.  JS  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  mass  of  clouds.’ 


vAsavadattA 


J34 

to  be1  a series  of  ocean  shells  that  had  been  drunk  down  too 
hastily.2 

[284]  The  <rainy  season),  even  the  <fate  of  rain),  played,3  as  if 
with  chessmen  4 coloured  with  lac,  with  yellow  and  green  frogs 5 
jumping  in  the  black  enclosures6  of  the  irrigated  fields.  The 
lightning  gleamed  like  a streak  of  gold  rubbed  by  the  goldsmith 
bank  of  clouds  on  a seeming  touchstone  that  was  like  a mass  of 
lampblack7  from  the  torch  of  the  sun.  The  screw-pine  was 
beauteous8  as  a saw  of  the  Flower- Weaponed  God  to  cut10  the 
hearts  of  sundered  (lovers).  [385]  The  drops  of  water  were  as 
masses  of  dust  shaken  off  by  the  violence  of  the  wind  from  the 
cloud-tree  that  was  cut  by  the  saw  of  the  slender  quivering 
lightning.11  The  hailstones  flashed  like  pearls 12  from  the  necklaces 
of  the  brides  of  the  several  quarters  (of  the  sky) ; as  though  they 
were  masses  of  stars  reduced  to  powder  by  contact  with  the  cloud 
grinding-stone  that  was  turned  by  the  violence  of  the  fierce  wind 13 ; 
handfuls  of  grain,  so  to  say,  of  the  setting  forth  of  Him 9 whose 
banner  is  a fish,  eager  to  conquer  the  threefold  world.14 

Straightway  at  the  beginning 15  of  autumn,  with  its  wagtails  not 
lame16 ; with  the  course  of  the  herons  unhampered17 ; [286]  with 


1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ what  appeared  to  be.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘drunk  in  the  impulse  of  excessive  thirst.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘the  dark  lover  of  the  clouds  played  with  the  lightning.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘dice’;  cf.  Thomas,  ‘The  Indian  Game  of  Chess,’  in 
ZDMG.  52.  271-272  ; 53.  364-365  ; Reinaud,  Mtmoire  ....  sur  I Inde  ....  d'apris 
les  (crivains  arabes,  persans  et  chinois , pp.  1 31—133,  Paris,  1849;  al-BIrunl,  India, 

tr.  Sachau,  1.  183-185,  London,  1888. 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘young  frogs.’  8 Tel.  ed.,  ‘gatherings.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ on  a touchstone  of  clouds  blackened.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.,  * the  rough  screw-pine  shone  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ the  screw-pine  flower 

shone.’  9 Kama. 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ made  to  cut.’  11  Tel.  ed.  omits  this  sentence. 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ masses  of  pearls.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ whirling  from  the  violence  of  the  wind  like  masses  of  stars  reduced  to 

powder  by  contact  with  banks  of  clouds.’ 

14  Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ the  new  meadow  seemed  like  an  upper  garment,  marked  with  liquid 
lac,  for  the  breast  of  Lady  Earth  with  her  cochineal.  The  maid-servant  Rainy  Season 
being  departed  after  bathing  the  heroine  Earth  with  water  from  the  jars  of  the  clouds, 
the  maid-servant  Autumn  came,  showing  bright  raiment  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

15  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ very  beginning.’ 

18  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  its  wagtails  well.’  17  Tel.  ed.  omits  this  clause. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


135 


boughs 1 exceedingly  noisy  with  skylarks  ; with  intensely  bright 
dawn  ; with  flocks  of  wandering  parrots  in  the  fields  of  rice  ; with 
flamingoes  come  as  guests 2 ; with  a sky  whose  brightness  was 
that  of  the  body  of  Kamsa’s  foe 3 ; with  old  clouds  like  goose- 
down  4 ; with  the  pleasure  of  dogs  whose  heat  was  intensified ; 
[287]  with  shoots  of  sweet  sugar-cane5;  with  lakes  possessed  of 
the  quintessence  of  the  delightful  sound  of  the  herons ; with  pools 
whose  banks  were  dug  up  by  the  snouts  of  boars ; delighted  by 
roots  of  beautiful 6 kaserus  ; with  startled  catakas 7 ; causing  joy  8 
by  the  sweet  sound  of  flocks  of  wandering  matsyaputrika  birds ; 
with  disdained  kadambas ; the  foe  of  conches ; with  expanded 
lotuses;  with  clouds  at  intervals;  [288]  with  unusually  bright 
stars  ; with  a beautiful  moon 9 ; with  unusually  sweet  water  in  the 
pools 10 ; with  flocks  of  motionless  cranes  swallowing  shoals  of 
flashing  carp 11 ; with  multitudes  of  silent  frogs  ; with  shrivelled 
serpents  ; with  rice 12  yellow  with  golden  particles ; with  screaming 
ospreys ; with  the  air  delightful  with  the  perfume  of  fragrant 
white  lotuses  ; lovely  with  white  lotuses 13 ; charming 14  in  the 
moonlight15 ; with  moulting  peacocks16 ; with  murmuring  paddy- 
birds  ; with  dhartarastra  geese 17 ; with  herds  of  deer  delighted  by 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ boughs  of  the  trees.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘with  flamingoes  entering  fields  of  rice  that  had  flocks  of  wandering 
parrots  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  fields  of  rice  filled  with  the  noise  of  wandering  parrots.’ 

3 Namely,  blue  as  Krsna. 

4 Tel.  ed.,  ‘with  clouds  glittering  like  flocks  of  geese.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.,  * with  the  radiance  of  the  moon  intensified ; with  shoots  of  sugar-cane,  the 
joy  of  lovers  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  the  radiance  of  the  moon  intensified  ; with  shoots 
of  sugar-cane  crushed  by  travellers.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘beautiful.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  startled  catakas  on  the  banks  of  pools  dug  up,’  etc. 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ causing  joy expanded  lotuses.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  a moon  that  was  the  adornment  of  the  west.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ filled  with  sweet  sap  ’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  exceedingly  sweet  water.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.,  ‘with  rows  of  motionless  vultures  and  cranes  swallowing  flashing  carp’ ; 
the  Srirangam  text  also  omits  ‘shoals.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ wheat  and  rice.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ lovely  with  white  lotuses  that  were  slightly  opened  by  a wind  charming 
with  the  perfume  of  fragrant  white  lotuses  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

14  Tel.  ed.  omits  from  here  to  ‘ Kandarpaketu.’ 

16  Srirangam  text  omits  this  phrase. 

16  Srirangam  text,  ‘with  peacocks  whose  tail  feathers  had  fallen  out.’ 

17  Srirangam  text  ‘with  delighted  dhartarastra  geese.’ 


136 


vAsavadattA 


the  songs 1 of  happy  2 female  guardians  of  the  rice ; with  dead 
yuthika- jasmines 3 ; with  faded  Malabar  jasmine-buds ; a kinsman 
to  the  bandhuka ; with  beauty  born ; putting  to  confusion  the 
bow  of  Sutraman  4 ; with  the  ten  quarters  (of  the  sky)  yellowed 
by  masses 5 of  the  pollen  of  the  smiling  saffron  ; [289]  (and)  with 
blossoming  lotuses 6 ; — (then)  Kandarpaketu,  wandering  about, 
seeing  a stone  image,  and  saying  with  curiosity,  frenzy,  and  the 
agitation  of  grief,  * This  is  like  my  beloved,’  touched  it  with  his 
hand.7 

Then  she,  simply  being  touched,3  again 9 assumed  the  form  of 
Vasavadatta,  leaving  her  stony  state.  Perceiving  her,  Kandar- 
paketu, as  if  plunged  in  a sea  of  nectar,  asked  her,  embracing  her 
long  : ‘ Dear  Vasavadatta,  tell  me  what  this  is  ’ ! 

Being  addressed,  and  sighing  long  and  fervently,  she  began  to 
tell10:  “‘Having  left  his  kingdom,  alone,  (and)  like  a common 
man,11  my  lord  of  great  good  fortune  hath  borne  woe  beyond  word 
or  thought  for  the  sake  of  ill-fortuned  me,  the  undeserving. 
[290]  Now,  very  emaciated  through  fasting  and  the  like,  my  lord 
maketh  his  food  roots,  fruits,  and  so  forth  ” — thus  thinking,  I went 
a distance  of  some  nalvas  to  look  for  fruit,  seeing  the  trees  of  a 
grove.12  And  in  an  instant  I perceived  the  camp  of  an  army  with 

I Srirangam  text,  ‘ by  hearing  the  songs.’  2 Srirangam  text  omits  * happy.’ 

s Srirangam  text  omits  ‘with  dead  . . . beauty  bom.’ 

4 Srirangam  text,  ‘ Satamakha  ’ ; in  both  cases  Indra  is  meant. 

6 Srirangam  text  omits  ‘ masses.’ 

6 Srirangam  text  adds  * a kinsman  to  the  bandhuka.' 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘Kandarpaketu,  wandering  about  here  and  there,  (and)  seeing  a stone 
image,  touched  it  with  his  hand  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text.  For  instances  of 
turning  into  stone  in  modern  Indian  folk-tales  see  Knowles,  Folk-tales  of  Kashmir,  2 ed., 
pp.  191-196,  401-403  (and  literature  there  cited),  London,  1893;  Frere,  Old  Deccan 
Days,  2 ed.,  pp.  77-78,  London,  1870 ; Natesa  Sastri,  Dravidian  Nights,  p.  85,  Madras, 
1886;  and  for  a touch  restoring  to  life  see  Kadambari,  p.  637,  Bombay  ed.,  1890  (tr. 
Ridding,  p.  206,  London,  1896).  Cf.  also  Gray,  ‘Literary  Studies  on  the  Sanskrit 
Novel,’  in  WZKM.  18.  53-54.  The  fortunes  of  Vasavadatta  after  leaving  her  home 
show,  it  should  be  noted,  a blending  of  the  Bluebeard  (violated  tabu)  and  Sleeping 
Beanty  cycles  of  folk-tales. 

* Tel.  ed.,  ‘ simply  being  seen.’  9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ again.’ 

10  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ Kandarpaketu,  embracing  her  tightly,  asked  : “ Dear  Vasavadatta,  what 
is  this”  ? She  replied  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

II  Tel.  ed.,  ‘ like  a wanderer.’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘“thou  being  distressed  by  thirst  through  fasting  and 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


i37 


its  abodes  of  grass  huts  being  hidden  in  clumps  of  trees ; its 
general’s  house  being  arranged  ; [291]  the  (fodder)  bags  being 
put  down ; its  tents  being  begun  ; the  courtesans’  quarters  being 
set  up ; with  hundreds  of  neighs  of  horses  being  heard ; with 
hundreds  of  drum-skins  being  beaten  for  the  halt ; with  a place 
of  sweet  water  being  sought  ; with  multitudes  of  market  flags 
being  displayed. 

[292]  ‘ As  I thought : “ Is  this  the  host  of  my  father  come  to 
search  for  me,  or  perchance  (the  army)  of  my  lord  ” ?,  the  general 
of  the  army  ran  toward  me,  being  informed  of  events  by 
a scout.1  Then  in  like  manner  there  ran  up  the  Kirata  general, 
who  had  gone  out  to  hunt  followed  by  an  army.2  Immediately 
I thought : “ If  I inform  my  lord,  then  he,  being  alone,  will  be 
killed  by  these ; [293]  but  if  I do  not  inform  him,  then  shall 
I be  slain  by  them.” 

‘ Even  at  the  instant  of  my  thought  there  arose 3 a battle  of  the 
two  armies  4 as  of  two  vultures  eager  for  one  quarry.  Then — on 
the  battle’s  threshing-floor,  where  the  rays  of  the  sun  were 
removed5  by  the  shower-clouds  of  arrows  from  the  hostile 
bows 6 ; [294]  with  Vidyadharas  wandering  about,  embracing 
their  opportunities  for  brave  warriors  that  had  been  tossed  high 
by  pairs  of  tusks  of  elephants  skilled  in  deeds  of  battle 7 ; with 
countless  circles  of  the  bards  of  the  gods  gathering  to  witness  the 


the  like,  I,  awakening  before  thee  at  the  end  of  sleep,  will  fetch  fruit,  roots,  and  so 
forth  ” — so  thinking,  I went  just  a nalva  [400  cubits]  into  the  forest  to  seek  fruit  and 
the  like.’ 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then,  as  I suddenly  saw  the  camp  of  an  army  hidden 
in  a clump  of  trees  and  thought : “ Is  this  my  father’s  host  come  to  fetch  me  or  the 
host  of  my  noble  lord”?  a Kirata  general,  informed  of  the  news  from  afar  by 
a scout,  ran  to  me.’ 

s Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then  in  like  manner,  hearing  this,  there  ran  up 
another  Kirata  general,  who  had  gone  out  to  hunt  accompanied  by  a similar  army.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then  there  arose,’  omitting  Vasavadatta’s  reflexions. 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  ‘ armies.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ hidden.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ from  the  hostile  bows  ’ ; Srirangam  text  omits  * hostile.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  female  Vidyadharas  wandering  about,  embracing  brave  warriors 
that  had  been  cloven  by  the  edges  of  swords  high  uplifted  by  hands  skilled  in  deeds  of 
battle’;  similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 


vAsavadattA 


138 

conflict1 ; with  a welcome  appearance  caused  by  headless  corpses 
of  bodies  occupied  by  Vetalas 2 ; greedy  for  the  adornment,3 4  in 
a she-fiend’s  ear,  of  a mortar  filled  with  the  foot  of  an  elephant 
that  had  been  hacked  off  by  the  sword  of  a soldier  4 ; [295]  with 
laudations  in  the  excessive  din  that  arose 5 6 ; (and)  with  timid 
jackals 8 — the  warriors  drew  at  once  the  <lives>  of  their  foes  and 
the  <strings>  of  their  bows,  paying  no  heed  to  the  bodies  as  if 
they  were  lumps  of  flesh  to  be  the  prey  of  jackals,7  or  had  been 
bitten  by  serpents.8 

‘ The 9 mighty  elephants  were  like  <generous>  donors  that  bear 
not10  meeting  with  «beggars»,  for  they  <shed  ichor)  and  bore 
not 10  meeting  with  «arrows» ; like  fortunate  paramours  adorned 
with  <passion>  and  with  golden  «girdles»,  for  they  were  adorned 
with  <minium>  and  had  golden  «girths»  ; like  goodly  gardens 
<beauteous  with  plantain-trees)  and  «filled  with  birds)),  for  they 
were  <bright  with  banners)  and  were  «attended  by  elephants)) ; 
like  nights 11  adorned  with  garlands  of  Constellations),  for  they 
had  garlands  of  <pearls> ; like  days  with  <blossoming  flowers),  for 
they  had  dashing  trunk-tips).12  [296]  And 13  the  horses  seemed 
like  creatures  bereft  of  sense  11  abandoning  patience),  for  they 


1 Tel.  ed.,  * with  the  circle  at  its  doorway  formed  by  the  many  feet  of  the  bards  of 
the  gods  that  had  come  to  witness  the  conflict.’ 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  this  clause.  The  Vetalas  are  a class  of  malevolent 
ghosts  who  animate  corpses  and  haunt  cemeteries.  They  often  enter  the  body  of 
a living  man  while  his  spirit  is  absent,  or  may  even  be  spirits  of  the  living  which  prefer 
to  make  their  dwelling  in  corpses  (cf.  Crooke,  Popular  Religion  and  Folk-Lore  of 
Northern  India,  2 ed.,  1.  243-244,  Westminster,  1896). 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  the  adornment.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ foot  soldier,’  the  former  adding  ‘ with  folk  drawn  by 

curiosity.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ with  shouts  of  praise  arising’ ; Srirangam  text,  ‘ with  laudations  in  the 
words  spoken  by  folk  drawn  by  curiosity.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ with  cowards  destroyed;  like  a conqueror  eager 
for  combat.’ 

I Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ she-jackals  and  jackals.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  * or  were  wretched  fragments  of  white  leprosy.’ 

9 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘there.’  10  Srirangam  text  omits  ‘not.’ 

II  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ multitudes  of  nights.’ 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ like  autumn  days  with  (blossoming  lotuses),  for  they 

had  (sparkling  drops  of  water).’ 

13  Tel.  ed.  omits  ‘ and.’  14  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘like  angry  creatures.’ 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


139 


<left  the  ground) ; like  oceans  adorned  with  <whirlpools>  and 
with  «billows»,  for  they  were  adorned  with  <whorls  (of  hair)> 
and  had  «swift  gaits»;  like  pleasure  parks  with  <dhartarastra 
geese),  for  they  included  the  < mallikaksa  breed) ; like  noble 
houses  charming  with  very  new  (furniture),  for  they  were  charm- 
ing with  very  new  <hamess> 1 ; like  mines  that  have  the  <gems  of 
the  gods),  for  they  had  <curls  (on  their  necks)) ; like  the  Lekhas 
that  have  <fortitude  together  with  Indra),  for  they  Sustained  most 
mighty  lords).2  Long  danced  the  headless  corpse  as  if  with  joy 
at  the  thought : “ I am  released 3 from  the  ears  that  heard 
detraction  of  others,  from  the  eyes  that  beheld  the  rise  of  the  evil 
and  the  fall  of  the  good,  and  from  the  head  that  bowed  un- 
worthily.” 4 

‘ Then  spread  the  dust 5 born  of  battle,  hiding  the  eye  as  if 
smiling ; concealing  the  existence  of  the  ear  as  if  afraid  of 
hearing  calumny  of  another ; [297]  frenzied,  as  it  were,  being 
tossed  by  the  motion  of  the  wind ; a cause  of  grayness,  so  to 
speak,  to  the  Apsarasas  ; a cause  of  blindness,  it  might  be  termed, 
to  the  soldiers  ; the  darkness,  in  all  seeming,  of  the  evening  of 
conflict ; fallen  and  cut  off  from  its  <family),  as  it  were,  since 
it  was  cut  off  from  the  <earth> ; resembling  the  doctrines  of  the 
adherents  of  the  Mlmamsa  that  conceal  the  <doctrines  of  the 
Jains),  since  it  concealed  the  <sight  of  the  quarters  (of  heaven) 
and  the  sky) ; like  unto  a good  man  clinging  to  (Visnu’s  feet), 
since  it  clung  to  the  <zenith).6  One  assumed  an  (agonising 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ like  potters’  houses  (containing  very  new  pots>,  for 
they  (bore  very  new  harness).  ’ 

2 Tel.  ed.,  ‘like  the  Lekhas  that  (have  increase  with  Indra),  for  they  (included 
indravrddha  steeds) ; like  drunkards  (living  in  dramshops),  for  they  were  (adorned 
with  defences)  ’ ; so  the  Srirangam  text,  except  ‘ like  the  Lekhas  that  have  increase 
through  the  (weapons  of  Indra),  for  they  had  increase  through  tindrayudha  steeds).’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ thank  heaven  ! I am  released.’ 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ and  from  the  mouth  that  praised  the  unpraise- 

worthy.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ mass  of  dust.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  substitutes  for  the  last  two  similes  ‘(going  in  the  path  of  the  constella- 
tions) as  an  evil  prince  (goes  not  in  the  path  of  a Ksatriya) ; with  the  appearance  of 
thick  smoke  like  a quarrel ; hiding  (living  creatures)  as  the  quality  of  passion  hides 
(truth) ; (high-raised)  as  an  ill-bred  man  is  (puffed  up) ; hiding  the  path  of  the 


140 


VASAVADATTA 


posture>  as  Rama  <bound  Ravana) 1 ; another 2 clove  <hell>  as 
Krsna  3 clove  <Naraka> ; a third  had  <hearing,  speech,  and  sight> 
destroyed  as  the  textbook  of  the  Buddhists  <rejects  tradition, 
precept,  and  doctrine) ; a fourth  was  <surrounded  with  corpses)  as 
a heretical  mendicant  is  <wrapped  with  matting)4;  a fifth,  fearing 
<utter  defeat),  plunged  into  the  water  5 as  Suyodhana,  fearing  the 
<breaking  of  his  thigh),  plunged  into  the  water5;  a sixth  breathed 
for  a long  time  on  a couch  of  <pen-reed  grass)  as  Bhlsma6 
breathed  for  a long  time  on  a couch  of  <arrows> ; [298]  a seventh 
dost  his  strength)  as  Karna,  terrified  in  every  limb,7  Released  his 
spear).8  Then,  with  its  banners  destroyed,  its  standards  tumbling, 
its  fallen  bows  and  chowries  injured,  and  its  swords  slipping,  the 
army  met  destruction.9 

‘ Straightway,10  when  the  ascetic  whose  hermitage  that  was  had 
come  with  flowers  and  the  like,  and  had  learned  of  the  event, 
I was  cursed  by  him  with  the  words : “ My  hermitage  hath  been 
broken  down  because  of  thee  ; therefore  become  stone 51 11 ! [299] 
And  gradually,  perceiving  poor  me  suffering  much  distress,  he 12 


<constellations>  as  an  evil  man  hides  the  path  of  the  <good>  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam 
text. 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  omit  this  clause. 

2 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ and  straightway  one.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ Narayana’;  for  the  allusion  cf.  Harivamta,  120. 

* Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ a fourth  had  his  body  <surrounded  with  corpses)  as 
a heretical  mendicant  has  his  body  (wrapped  with  matting)  ; a fifth,  (drunken),  fell  like 
(Surapa)  (Srirangam  text,  * the  Brahman  Surapa  ’).’  The  details  of  the  legend  of 
Surapa  are  as  yet  unknown. 

6  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ water  of  a pool.’ 

6 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ dying  Bhlsma.’ 

7 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘with  his  limbs  terrified.’ 

8 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ another  slew  (them  that  caused  shouting)  as 
Raghu’s  scion  [Rama]  slew  (Ravana).’ 

3 Tel.  ed.,  ‘ then,  with  impotent  banners,  with  tumbling  standards,  and  with  the 
daggers  of  the  soldiers  of  the  armies  bent,  both  entire  armies  mutually  proceeded  to 
slaughter  ’ ; similarly  the  Srirangam  text. 

10  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ and  then.’ 

11  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ had  learned  of  the  event  through  his  y3ga  sight, 
being  angered  that  “ this  my  hermitage  hath  been  broken  down  because  of  thee  [Vasa- 
vadatta],”  I was  cursed  with  the  words:  “ Become  a stone  image  ” ! ’ The  folk-tale 
motif  is  that  of  the  Bluebeard  cycle  of  punishment  in  consequence  of  a violation  of  tabu 
(see  MacCulloch,  Childhood  of  Fiction,  pp.  306-324,  London,  1905). 

12  Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ then  gradually,  out  of  kindness, — “ for  this  unhappy 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


141 

made  the  termination  of  the  curse  concurrent  with  the  touch  of 
the  hand  of  my  noble  lord.’ 

Then  Kandarpaketu,  together  with  Makaranda,  who1  had 
come  up,  and  with  Vasavadatta,2  [300]  went  to  his  own  city,3 
and  lived  4 enjoying  blisses  as  his  heart  desired.5 


girl  suffers  much  distress” — and  through  pity  for  my  noble  lord,  this  hermit,  being 
entreated.’ 

1 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ who  had  heard  of  the  event.’ 

s Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ that  Vasavadatta.’ 

3 Tel.  ed.  adds  ‘ Pataliputra,’  which  was,  however,  the  old  home  of  Vasavadatta,  not 
of  Kandarpaketu  (see  above,  p.  75). 

4 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  ‘ lived  much  time  with  them  twain.’ 

5 Tel.  ed.  and  Srirangam  text  add  ‘ (and)  that  could  scarcely  be  gained  in  the  world 
of  the  gods.’  Tel.  ed.  also  adds  two  stanzas,  the  first  being  the  thirteenth  of  Hall’s 
introductory  stanzas,  and  the  second  being  the  eleventh  introductory  stanza  of  the 
Harsacarita ; the  Srirangam  text  omits  the  latter  interpolation,  but  here  appends  the 
thirteenth  introductory  stanza  of  Hall. 


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subamdhunamna  kavikulasarvabhaumena 
viracitah  vasavadattakhyah  campuprabamdho  ’yam 


dhimatam  arthaparijnanaya 
vyakhyanena  sakam 


madhurasubbha^astrina  samsodhyapariskrtah 
jnanasuryodayamudraksarasalayam 


tadadhikarina  bhuvanagiri  ramgayyasettinamna 
vaisyacudamanina  mudraksarair 
mudrayitva  prakatikrtas  san 
bhu  vivij  ayatetaram 


1862  samvatsaram  yepral  nela  19  tedi 


srihayagrivaya  namah. 
vasavadatta  savyakhya. 


(i)  [2]  karabadarasadrsam  akhilam  bhuvanatalam  yatprasa- 
datah  kavayah 

pasyanti  suksmamatayas  sa  jayati  sarasvati  devl. 
khinno  ’si  muraca  sailam  bibhrmo  vayam  iti  vadatsu 
sithilabhujah 

bharabhugnavi(tatha)bahusu  gopesu  hasan  harir  jayati. 

[4]  sa  jayati  himakaralekha  cakasti  yasyo  ’mayd  ’t(kaya) 
nihita 

nayanapradlpakajjalajighrksaya  rajatasuktir  i(2)va. 

[3]  kathinataradamavestanalekhasamdehadayino  yasya 
rajanti  valivibhangas  sa  patu  damddarb  bhavatah. 

[4]  bhavati  subhagatvam  adhikam  vistaritaparagunasya 

sujanasya 

vahati  vikasitakumudo  dvigunarucim  himakar(ad)y5tah. 

[5]  visadharatb  ’py  ativisamah  khala  iti  na  mrsa  vadamti 

vidvamsah 

yad  ayan  nakuladvesl  sakuladvesl  punah  (punah)  pisunah. 

[6]  atimaline  kartavye  bhavati  khalanam  ativa  nipuna  dhlh 
timire  hi  kausikanam  rupam  pratipadyate  (drstih). 

[7]  hasta  iva  bhutimalino  yatha  yatha  lamghayati  khalas 

sujanam 

darpanam  iva  tam  kurute  tatha  tatha  nirmalacchayam. 

[6]  vidhvastaparagunanam  bhavati  khalanam  ativa  mali- 

natvam 

antaritasasirucam  api  salilamucam  malinima  ’bhya- 
dhikah. 

[7]  sa  rasavatta  vihata  navaka  (3)  vilasamti  carati  no  kam 

kah 

sarasl  ’va  klrtisesam  gatavati  bhuvi  vikramaditye. 

L 


146 


vasavadattA 


[8]  aviditaguna  ”pi  satkavi(phanitih)  karnesu  vamati  ma- 

dhudharam 

anadhigataparimala  ”pi  hi  harati  drsam  malatlmala. 
guninam  api  nijarupapratipattih  parata  eva  sambhavati 
svamahimadarsanam  aksnbr  mukuratale  jayate  yasmat. 

[9]  [sarasvatldattavaraprasadas  cakre  subandhuh  sujanaika- 

bandhuh 

praty  aksaraslesamayaprabandhaviny  asavaid  agdhyani- 
dhir  nibandham]. 

[10]  abhud  (akharvavibhava)sarv5rvlpaticakra[caru]cuda- 
mani(sreni)sana[i  i]kdnakasana(vi)mallkrta(pada)nakharnanih  nr- 
sirnha  iva  da(4)rsitahiranyakasipuksetradanavismayah  krsna  iva 
krtavasudevatarpanah  [12]  narayana  iva  saukaryasamasadita- 
(dharanl)mandalah  kamsaratir  iva  janitayasbdanandasamrddhih 
anakadundubhir  iva  krtakavya[i3]darah  sagarasayl  ”va  ’nanta- 
bhogicudamani(sreni)ranjitapada(h)[padm5]  varuna  iva  ”sa(5)n- 
taraksanah  agastya  iva  daksinasaprasadhakah  jalanidhir  iva 
vahinlsatanayakas  samakarapracaras  ca  hara  [14]  iva  mahasen- 
anu(yato  nirjita1)maras  ca  merur  iva  vibudhalayb  visvakarmas- 
rayas  ca  ravir  iva  ksanadanapriyas  chayasantapahara^  ca  kusum- 
(ayudha)  iva  janitaniruddhasampad  ratisukhapradas  ca  vidya- 
dha[i5]r5  '’pi  sumanah  dhrtarastrd  ’pi  gunapriyah  (6)  ksamanu- 
gato  ’pi  [16]  sudharmasritah  2 brhannalanubhavo  ’py  amtassara- 
]ah  mahislsambha[i7]v5  ’pi  vrsotpadl  atara]5  ’pi  mahanayakah 
raja  cintamanir  nama.  yatra  ca  sasati  (dharanl  3)marndalam 
chalanigrahapraybgb  (nyayasastresu4)  [18]  nastikata  carvakesu 
kantakaydgb  [nijybgesu  parlvadb  [19]  vlnasu  khalasam(pra)yd- 
gas  salisu  dvijihvasamfgrahitir  ahi)tundikesu  karacchedah  (kut- 
mala)grahanesu  netrotpatanam  munlnam  (7)  [dvija]rajaviru[2o]d- 
dhata  pamkajanam  sarvabhaumay5g5  (diggajanam  5)  [agnitula- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

2 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  asrayah. 

3 Tel.  ed.  61,  Grantha  ed.,  and  Srirangam  text,  dharam. 

4 Cf.  naiyayikavadesu  in  Hall’s  manuscript  F ; Trichinopoly  ed.,  nyayesu. 

5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator 
Jagaddhara. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


147 


£uddhih  suvarnanam]  (suci)bhedo  manlnam  sulabhamgo  yuvatl- 
(navaprasavesu  agnitulasuddhis  svarnanam)  dussasana[2i]darsa- 
nam  (maha)bharate  karapatra(vi)daranam  jalajanam  (param  evam 
vyavasthitam).  mahavaraho  gbtrbddharanapravrtto  ’pi  gotrodda- 
lanam  akarot.  raghavah  pariharann  api  janakabhuvarn  janaka- 
bhuva  saha  vanam  vivesa.  bharato  (rama)darsitabha[22]ktir  api 
rajye  viramam  akarot.  nalasya  damayantya  militasya  ’pi  punar- 
bhuparigra(8)h5  jatah.  prthur  api  gbtrasamutsaranavistaritabhu- 
mandalah.  (tad)  ittham  na  ’sti  vagavasarah  (purvatanesu1)  rajasu 
(api  tu  vacanlyatayah).  sa  punar  anyb  [eva]  devo  nyakkrtasar- 
vorvIpati(cakra)caritah.  tathahi  sa  parvatah  katakasamcarino 
gandharvan  darsitasrmgonnatis  sukha[23]yan  na  virarama.  sa  hi- 
malayo  navasyayocchalito  no  mayajanmane  hitas  ca.  sa  himani 
giri  sthitd  vrsadhvajas  (ca).  (9)  (sa)  sadagatis  (ca)  ’vadhutakhila- 
kantarah  pavakagresarb  na  [24]  bhbgotsukas  sumanbharas  ca. 
sa  ratnakaro  ’na(timayo)  [katham  a]’gadhas  sama(io)ryadah 
nodrokb  [’py  asya]  vismayas  sada  himakar(a[25]sayb)  ’mrta- 
mayas  (satpatras)  tasya  ’cal5  nakrb  ’dhb  mahanadlnas  samudras 
(ca).  [26]  sa  [candra  iva]  ksanadanarndakarah  kumudavan(ai- 

ka)bamdhus  sakalakalakulagrham  nataratibalas  (camdras  ca.  sa) 
mitrodayahetuh  kamcanasobham  bibhrada[27]caladhikalaksml- 
(n)s  sumeruh  [iva].  yasya  ca  ripuvargas  sadaparthd  ’pi  na  ma- 
habharataranaybgyah  bhlsmo  ’py  asamtanavehitah  sanucaro 
’pi  na  gotrabhusitah.  (12)  [28]  [api  ca]  sa  trisamkur  (api)  na 
(na)ksatrapatha(cyutah)  samkarb  ’pi  na  visadi  pavako  ’pi  na 
krsnavartma  (na)  ’’srayaso  [’pi]  na  dahanas  (ca)  na  ’mtaka  [29] 
iva  ’kasmad  apahrtajivanah  na  rahur  iva  mitramamdalagrahana- 
(sam)vardhitarucih  na  nala  iva  kalivi(jitavigrahah)  na  cakrl  ”va 
srgalavadhastutisamullasitah  namdagopa  iva  yasodaya  (’nvitah  2) 
jarasamdha  iva  ghatitasamdhivigrahah  bhargava  iva  sadana- 
bhogah  dasaratha  [30]  iva  sumitropetah  sumarntradhisthitas 
ca  dillpa  iva  sudaksinan(vitah 3)  raksita(i3)gus  ca  rama  iva  jani- 
takusalavaybrupocchrayah.  tasya  ca  (rajnah)  parijata  iva  ”srita- 


1 Trichinopoly  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  purvatareni. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  E,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

3 Cf.  anugato  in  Hall’s  manuscript  C. 


148 


vAsavadattA 


namdanah  himalaya  iva  jani[3i]tasivah  mamdara  iva  bhogi- 
bhogamkitah  kailasa  iva  mahesvarbpabhuktakotih  madhur  iva 
nanaramanamdakarah  ksIrbdamathanodya[32]tamamdara  iva 
mukharitabhuvanah  raga(i4)(raja)  iv5  ’l(lasita)ratih  Isanabhuti- 
samcaya  iva  samdhybcchalitah  saranmegha  iva  ’vadatahrdayah 
[33]  visnupadavalambl  ca  partha  iva  samarasahasocitah  kamsa 
iva  [34]  kuvalayaplda(bhusanah)  tarksya  iva  [vinatanandakarah] 
sumukhanamdana(h)  [ca]  visnur  iva  krodlkrtasutanuh  samtanava 
iva  svavasa[sthapita]kala[35]dharmah  kauravavyu(i5)ha  iva  su- 
sarmadhisthitah  [subahur  iva  ramanandl  samadrstir  api  mahe- 
svaro  muktamayb  ’py  ataralamadhyd]  jala(dharasamaya)  iva  [36] 
vimalataravaridharatrasitarajahamsa(mamdalah 1 subahur  api  ra- 
manamdakarah  samadrstir  api  mahesvarah  muktamayb  ’py 
ataralamadhyah)  vamsa[pra]dlpb  ’py  aksatadasah  tanayb  (’bhut) 
kamdarpaketur  nama.  yena  [ca]  camdrene  ’va  sakalakalakula- 
grhena  sarvarltiharina  [37]  (kairavavi)bamdhuna  prasadhitasena 
viloki(i6)ta  jaladhaya  iva  (sam)ullasitagbtras  sudura[vi  2]vardhi- 
tajlvanah  prasannasatvas  [38]  samtah  param  (rddhim)  avapuh. 
yasya  [ca]  janitaniruddhalllasya  ratipriyasya  kusumasarasanasya 
makaraketbr  iva  darsanena  vanitajanasya  hrdayam  ullalasa. 
yasmai  ca  ’nugatadaksinasadagataye  (netra  3)srutisukha(pradaya) 
komalakokilarutaya  vi(kasita)pallavaya  krtaka[39]mtarataram- 
gaya  surabhisumanbbhiramaya  sarva[jana]sulabhapadmaya  vi- 
(strta  4)kana(i7)kasampade  atikramtadamanakaya  vasamtaye  ’vb 
(’pa)vana[4o]lata  ivb  ’tkalikasahasrasamkula  bhramarasamgatah 
pravalaharinyb  vilasadvayasas  tarunyah  sprhayam  cakruh.  yasya 
ca  samarabhuvi  [41]  bhujadamdena  kbdamdam  kbdamdena  (ba- 
nah  banair)  arisirah  (arisirasa)  bhumandalam  (bhumandalena) 
’nubhuta(purvanayakasmaranam  smaranena  ca)  klrtih  klrtya  ca 
sapta  sagarah  sagaraih  krtayugadiraja[carita]smaranam  (smara- 
nena)  sthairyam  (sthairyena)  pratiksanam  ascaryam  asaditam. 


1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

2 Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  D,  G,  H also  omit  vi ; Trichinopoly  ed.,  parivardhita. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H,  and  the  commentators  Narasimha 
and  Jagaddhara. 

4 Cf.  viskrta  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


149 


yasya  ca  pratapanaladagdha(dayitanam)  ripusumdarlnam  kara- 
tala(racita)tadanabhltai[42]r  iva  muktaharaih  payodhara(parisara 
muktah).  yasya  ca  nisitanaraca(jarjharita)mattamatamgakum- 
bhasthalavigalitamuktaphala[nikara  1]damturitaparisare  (tarat 2)- 
patrara(x8)the  raktavari(samuddlyamanadviradapadakacchape3 
vilasad)utpala(pumdarike)  vahinlsatasamakule  nrtyatkabamdha- 
(bamdhure)sura(narI)[43]samagamotsuka(carad)bhat(ahum)kara- 
(bhasanarava)bhisane  (sagara  iva  samarasirasi 4)  bhinnapadatika- 
rituragarudhir(ardrd)  jayalaksmipadalaktakaragaramjita  iva 
khadgd  raraja.  [44]  atha  kadacid  avasannayam  yamavatyam 
dadhi(dhavak)kalaksapanaka[grasa]pirnda  6 iva  nisayamunaphe- 
na(stabaka 6)  iva  menakanakhamarjana(sphatika)silasakala  iva 
madhucchatrac(chaya)mamdal5dare  pascimacaldpadhanasukha- 
ni(sanna)siras5  rajatatatamka(cakra 7)  iva  (syamayah)  sesamadhu- 
bhaji  [45]  casaka  iva  vibhavaiivadhvah  aparajala(ni)dhipayasi 
samkhakamtikamuka  iva  majjati  kumudinlnayake  sisira(himasl- 
kara)kardamita(i9)kumuda(paraga  8)madhyabaddhacaranesu  sat- 
caranesu  kalapralapabddhit[acakit]abhisarikasu  sarikasu  prabud- 
dhadhyayanakarmathesu  mathesu  (hasa)ragamukharakarpatik[a- 
jan  9]opagIyamanakavya(kathyasu)  rathyasu  [46]  sakalaniplta- 
(naisa)timira(samghatam  10)  atanlyastaya  (sodhum  n)  asamarthesv 
iva  kajjalavyajad  udvamat(su)  [iva]  kami(nl)nidhuvanallladarsa- 
nartham  iv5  ’dgrlvikasatadanakhinnesu  vividha(vilasacitrasurata)- 
[47]saksisu  saranagatam  iva  ’dho(ni)llnam  timira(samgham) 
avatsu  durjana(vacanesv)  iva  dagdhasnehataya  mamdimanam 
upagatesu  ativrddhesv  iva  dasamtam  upagatesu  (a)pannasadlsva- 

1 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  F,  H also  omit  nikara. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  H. 

3 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  E also  have  kacchape  and  manuscript  A has  kacchapa. 

4 Hall’s  manuscript  C also  has  samarasirasi ; cf.  samarasarasi  in  his  manuscripts 
A,  B,  E. 

6  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  pindaka. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator 
Jagaddhara. 

9 Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha  also  omit  jana. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  E,  F,  G,  H. 


150 


vasavadattA 


resv  iva  patramatravasesesu  danavesv  iva  [48]  nisamtamadhya- 
carisu  astagirisikharesv  iva  patatpatamgesu  pradlpesu  anavara- 
ta(nipatita)  rnakaramdabimdu(20)samd5h  (asvadamadamugdha 1 )- 
madhukaranikurumba2jhamkara(rava)mukharitesu  mlanimanam 
upagacchatsu  vasagarakusumopaha[49]resu  vigalatkumdair  ala- 
kaih  priya(tama)virahasokat  baspabimdun  [iva]  (visrjadbhir  3 
iva)  priyatamagamanani(rodham)  iva  (kurvadbhir  4 vacalita)tula- 
kotibhis  caranapallavaih  (vilasitasu5  rajanl)sesasurata[bhara 6]- 
parisramavi  [50]  galitakesapasadaradajita  (madhavl)  malaparimala- 
lubdhamadhukarani(kurumba7)paksanila[ni]pltanidaghajalaslka- 
ra(kanikasu)  udvellatbhuja(valll)kamkanajhanatkara(subhagasu8) 
[nava]nakhapada(dasta9)kesa(pasa10vi)nirm5ka[5i]vedanakrtasi- 
tkaravinirgatadugdhamugdhadasanakirana[cchata]dhavalitabho- 
gavasasu  punardarsanaprcchavidhurasakhijananuksanavlksya- 
manapriyatamasu  ksanadagata(surata)vaiyatyavacana[sata](sam- 
skaraka  11)grhasukacatuvyahrtiksanajanitamamdaksasu  saradva- 
saralaksmlsv  iva  [52]  nakhalamkrtapayddharasu  asannamaranasv 
iva  jivitesapurabhimukhl(2i)su  vasamtavanarajisv  ivd  ’tkalika- 
bahulasu  priyair  alimgyamanasu  kaminlsu  amdolitakusumake- 
sare  kesarenumusi  [53]  (rati)ranita(nupura  12)manlnam  ramanlnam 
vikacakumudakare  mudakare  samgabhaji  priyavirahitasu  rahitasu 
(virahitasu)  sukhena  murmura(curnam)  iva  [varsati]  samamtadar- 
pake  darpakesudahanasya  duraprasaritakoka[54]priyatamarute 
marute  vahati  jaghanamadana(nagarat5ranasraja  manmatha13)ma- 

1 Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H also  have  mughda. 

2 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  nikuramba.  * 

3 Cf.  utsrjadbhir  iva  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  F,  H. 

5 Trichinopoly  ed.,  vacdlatulakotibhih  caranapallavaih  priyatainagamananirodham 
iva  kurvatisu. 

6 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F,  H also  omit  bhara. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  G,  H. 

8 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H also  have  subhagasu. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara 
and  Narasimha. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  G,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

11  Cf.  samsmaraka  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator 
Jagaddhara. 

12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

13  Cf.  manmathamandiramaha ° in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  G. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


I5I 

hanidhi(jaghanak5samamdira)kanakaprakarena  rdma(lirupa)lata- 
lavala(valayena)  jaghanacamdramamdalaparivesena  (vitata)tri- 
bhuvanavijayaprasastiAarna^amktilkanakapatrena  (makarake- 
toh)  sakalahrdaya(bamdljana)nivasa(grha)pai'ikhavalayena  (22) 
(sakala)jaga[55]llocanaviharngama(jaghanavasa)lasaka(kanaka 2)- 
salakagunena  [iva]  (nava)mekhaladamna  pari(kalita)jaghana(stha- 
lam 3)  unnatapayodharabharamtaritamukhacamdradarsanaprap- 
ti(vedanaye)  ”va  guru(tara)nitambabimbapay5dharakumbha(ni- 
ruddhdbhayaparsva  4)pldajanitayasene  ”va  (mama  murdhni  sthi- 
tayor  anayor  iyatpramanayo  stanakalasaydh  katham  mayye  ”va 
pato  bhavisyatl  ’ti  cimtaye  ”va  grhltagurukalatranusayene  ”va 
vidhatur  atiplda[56]yat5  hastapasajanitayasene  ”va)  kslnataratam 
upagatena  madhyabhagena  ’lamkrtam  anuragaratna(purita)ka- 
naka(paruvakabhyam)  cucukamudrasanathabhyam  [atigurupari- 
nahataya  patanabhayat  kllitabhyam  iva  cucukacchalena]  (vidhina) 
girisare(ne  ”va  cucukacchalena  ’tiguruparinahataya  patanabhaya- 
kilitabhyam  iva  hrcchayavilepanacaturikavibhramabhyam)  saka- 
[57]lavayava(nirmiti)sesalavanyapumjabhyam  iva  [hrdayatataga- 
kamalabhyam  iva  hrcchayakapolacaturikavibhramabhyam]  ro- 
mavalllataphala(bhuta)bhyam  kamdarpa(darpakasila)curnapur- 
na(kanaka5(23)kalasabhyam  iva  hrdayatatakakamalamukula- 
bhyam  romalataphalabhutabhyam 6 haralatamrnajal5bha[58]ni- 
linacakravakabhyam  haralataromavallgamgayamunasamgama- 
vyajaprayagatatabhyam  asesajanahrdayapatanad  iva  samjata- 
gauravabhyam)  tribhuvanavijayaparisramakhinnasya  makarake- 
tor  (visrama)vijan(avasa)grhabhyam  payodharabhyam  samud- 
bhasamanam  mukhacamdra(satata  7)sannihitasamdhyaragena 
(dvija  8)maniraksasimduramudranukarina  [59]  nis(sarada  ’bhyam- 

1 Cf.  vaniaromavall  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  G ; and  romavarndvali  in  manuscripts 
B,  E,F. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  C. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentators 
Jagaddhara  and  Narasimha. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  F,  G,  H.  5 Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  kanaka. 

6 Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  romalataphalabhutabhyam. 

7 Cf.  hitasantata  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  F,  G ; and  hitasatata  in  manuscript  D. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,D,  F,G,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara 

and  Narasimha. 


152 


VASAVADATTA 


tara)ragene  ’va  rarnjitena  ragasagaravidruma(sakalene  1)  ’va  ’dha- 
rapallavena  [upajsobhamanam  taruna(kaitaka)daladraghiyasa 
paksmalacatulalasena  hrday(avasa)grhavasthitahrcchayavilasino 
gavaksasamkam  (uj)janayata  saragena  ’pi  nirvanam  [60]  (jana- 
yata2)  gatiprasara(ni)rodhakasravanakrta(krddhene)  ’va  (’pam- 
ga)l5hitena  dhavalayate  ’va  jagada(khilam)  utphullakamalaka- 
nanasanatham  iva  gagana(talam)  kurvata  dugdhambhodhisaha- 
sranl  ’v6’dvamatakumda(kusumanillnam)  utpalamala(m)  [laksmlm 
ivo]  upahasata  nayanayugalena  bhusitam  dasanaratnatula(ru[6i]- 
rndene)  ’va  nayan(amrtasimdhu)setubamdhene  (’va)  yauvanaman- 
mathamattavarana(paramdakene)  ’va  nasavamsena  pariskrtam 
vil5cana(kuvalaya  3)bhramarapanktibhyam  mukhamadanamam- 
diratorana(malika(24)bhyarn)  ragasagara(venikabhyam  4)  yauva- 
nanartakalasikabhyam  bhrulatabhyam  vi(rajitam5 6)  ghanasama- 
[62]yakasalaksmlm  ivd  ’llasad(dhara)payodharam  jaya[sabda]- 
gh5sanacpanna(narapati)murtim  ivo  ’llasattulakbtipratisthitam 
suyodhanadhrtim  iva  karnavisramtalocanam  vamanalllam  iva 
darsitabalibharngam  vrscikarasiravisthitim  iva  ’tikramtakanya- 
tulam  usam  iva  ’niru[63]ddhadarsanasukham  saclm  iva  namda- 
neksanarucim  pasupatitarndavalllam  iv5  ’llasaccaksussravasam 
(vimdhya)tavim  ivo  ’ttumgasyamalaku(25)cam  vanara[64]senam 
iva  sugiivamgada[upa]sobhitam  bhasvatalamkarena  (svetarbcisa 
smitena7)  lohitena  (’dharena8)  saumyena  darsanena  guruna  ni- 
tambabimbena  (sitena  harena 9)  sanaiscarena  padena  [tamasa 
kesapasena 10 11]  (vikacena  locanotpalena  n)  graha(mayam)  iva  sam- 
sarabhitticitra[65]lekham  iva  trailokya(ramgasya)  rasayanasi- 


1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,D,  E,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

2 So  also  Flail’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara 

and  Narasimha. 

6  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

6 Cf.  jayaghosa  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  F. 

7 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha  add  this  after  the  next 
phrase. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

9 Similarly  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

10  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  E,  F,  G also  omit  ta?nasa  kesapasena. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  H. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


153 


ddhim  iva  (yauvanasya)  samkalpa(vrttim  J)  iva  srmgarasya  (sam- 
ketabhumim  iva  lavanyasya)  nidhanam  iva  [66]  kautukasya 
[tribhuvana 1  2 3]vijayapatakam  iva  makaradhvajasya  (ajibhumim) 
iva  [manasb  ’bhibhutim  iva]  madanasya  (sammbhinlm)  iva  (sarv)- 
emdriyanam  mohanasaktim  iva  (madanasya)  viharasthallm  iva 
saumdaryasya  (mitravilasalaya)salam  iva  saubhagyasya  [utpat- 
tisthanam  iva  lavanyasya]  aka[67]rsana(mamtras)siddhim  iva 
(manasijasya)  caksurbamdha(namahausadhlm 4)  iva  manma- 
themdrajalinah  tribhuvanavilobhanasrstim  iva  prajapateh  [kan- 
yakam]  astadasavarsadeslyam 5 * (kanyam)  apasyat c svapne. 
atha  tam  piitivispharitena  caksusa  pibann  iva  janitersyaye  ’va 
nidraya  cirasevitaya  7 (sa)  mumuce.  (atha  sa  prabuddhas 8)  tu 
visasarasi  ’va  durja[68]navacasi  ’va  (26)  nimagnam  atmanam 
(ava)dharayitum  na  sasaka.  tathahi  ksanam  (akase  tadalimga- 
nartham)  prasaritabahuyugalah  ehy  ehi  priyatame  (ma  gaccha 
ma  gacche 9)  ’tl  diksu  (vidiksu 10  ca  vi)likhitam  ivo  ’tklrnam  iva 
caksusi  nikhatam  iva  hrdaye  priyatamam  ajuhava.  tatas  tatrai 
”va  sayyatale  (nilmo  n)  nisiddhasesaparijanb  datta(kavatah)  pa- 
ri[69]hrtatambula[hara]disakalopabh6gas  tam  (divasam)  anayat. 
tathai  ”va  nisam  api  svapnasamagamecchaya  (katham  apy)  anai- 
slt.  atha  tasya  priyasakho  makaramdb  nama  katham  api  lab- 
dhapravesa(darsanah)  kamdarpasayakapraharaparavasam  kam- 
darpaketum  uvaca.  sakhe  kim  i[7o]dam  asampratam  asadhu- 
janocitam  (acaram)  asrito  ’si.  tavai  ”tad[caritam]  alokya  vitarka- 
(dolasu)  nivasamti  samtah.  khalah  punas  (tvadanucitam  anistam 
acaram  acaramti).  anist(otpadana)ras5ttaram  hi  (bhavati 12)  kha- 
lahrdayam.  ko  nama  ’sya  tattvanirupane  samarthah.  tatha  hi 
bhlmd  ’pi  nabakadvesl  asrayaso  ’pi  matarisva  ati(katu[7i]ko)  ’pi 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  H. 

2 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  H also  omit  tribhuvana. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

4 Cf.  bandhamahausadhhn  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  G,  H. 

5 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  varstyam. 

0 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  dadarsa.  7 Trichinopoly  ed.,  ciram  sevitaya. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E. 

12  Cf.  klialahrdayam  bhavati  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  H. 


154 


vAsavadattA 


maharasah  sarsapasneha  iva  kara(yuga)lalito  ’pi  sirasa  dhrto  ’pi 
na  (katavam1)  jahati.  talaphalarasa  iva  ”pata(27)madhurah  (pari- 
name)  virasas  tiktas  ca  (padaraja)  iva  ’vadhuto  (’pi 2)  murdhanam 
kasayayati.  visataru(prasunam)  iva  yatha  yatha  ’nubhuyate 
tatha  tatha  moha[72]m  eva  (drdhayati.  nlcadesanadya  iva  na 
variviraho  ’sya  jayate).  nidaghadivasa  iva  bahumatsaras  (suma- 
nasam  samtapam 3)  vahati.  amdhakara  iva  dosanubamdhaca- 
turah  visvakarmavalopanddyatas  ca  (rudra  iva)  virupaksah  [73] 
(visnur  iva)  cakradharah  sakrasva  iv5  ’ccaissravah  nadesajapra- 
samsl  ca  (sa)sarasye  ’va  [vi]bhinnasya4  ’pi  (satatarn)  sneham  dar- 
sa(28)yato  ’pi  takrata  iva  hrdayam  [74]  vilddayati.  yaksabalir 
iva  ’’tmaghdsamukhard  mamdala(bhramanakas)  ca  [matta]ma- 
tamga  iva  svavasalolamukhd  ’dharikrtadanas  ca  vrsabha  iva 
surabhiyanavikalah  kaml  ’va  gotraskhalanavi(kald)  vamadhva- 
[75]nuraktas  ca  [a]jlrna(roga  5)  iva  kalebare  vacasi  mamdimanam 
(ud)vahati.  vamcaka  iva  (raktah  katapale)  vibhavarlraktas  ca 
pare(29)ta  iva  [76]  bamdhutapadarsanah  parasur  iva  bhadras- 
riyam  api  khamdayati.  kuddala  iva  dalitagdtrah  ksamabhajah 
praninas  (ca)  nikrntati.  (rati)[77]klla  iva  jaghanyakarmalagno 
hrepayati  sadhun.  dustasurpasrutir  iva  kananarucir  anugatam 
api  yavasam  (san)tatam  na  ’numddate.  abl[78]jad  eva  jayamte 
akamdat 6 [eva]  prardhamti  khalavyasanamkura  duruccheda(3o)s 
(ca 7)  bhavamti.  asatam  [hi]  hrdi  pravistd  ddsalavah  karalayate 
satam  tu  (hrdayam)  na  (pra  8)visaty  eva  yadi  (katham  api 9 pra-) 
visati  [79]  (tada 10 *)  parada  iva  (ksanam 71)  api  na  (tisthati 12).  mrga 
iva  vinodavimdos  (sramaga13  bhavamti  sadhavah).  sukham  jana 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F,  H. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

5 So  also  Trichinopoly  ed.  and  Srirangam  text;  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed., 
ajirnaroga. 

6 Cf.  akamidt  prasaranti  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  G. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  F,  G. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F.  G,  H. 

13  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


*55 


(hi  bhavadrsas)  saratsamaya  iva  [bhavaddrsa  mitrasya  hrdayam1] 
haramti  na  ca  (mitra)cetana  visadrsam  upadisamti.  acetananam 
api  maitrl  samucitapakse  niksipta  [tatha[8o]hi]  madhuryasai- 
tyasucitvasamtapasamtibhih  payah  paya  (iti 2 3 sabdasamyan) 
mitratam  upagatasya  (mat)samgamad 15  (vrddhim  upagatasya 
kslrasya  kvathe  4 puratb  mamai  ”va  ksayo  yukta)  iti  (matve)  ’va 
varina  [”pi]  kslyate.  tad  idam  asampratam  acaritarn  [sakhe] 
grhana  sadhujanocitam  adhvanam.  sa[8i]dhavo  (’pi)  dinmohad 
[param]  utpathapravrtta  (api  punar  grhltasatpatha  5)  bhavamti. 
ityadi  vadati  tasmin  (makaramde  priyasakhe)  katham  api  sma- 
rasara[nikara]praharaparavasah  (kamdarpaketuh)  parimitaksa- 
ram  uvaca.  vayasya  ditir  iva  satamanyusamakula  bhavaty 
(asmadrsajanacitta)vrttih  na  ’yam  upadesakalah  pacyam(3i)ta 
iva  (me6)  ’mgani  [82]  kvathyamta  ive  ’mdriyani  [bhidyanta  iva 
marmani]  nissaramtl  ’va  pranah  unmulyamta  iva  vivekah  naste 
(’va 7)  smrtih  [tad]  adhuna  (tad  alam  anaya  kathaya)  yadl 
(’ttham)  sahapamsu(krlda)sama(sukhaduhkh6)  ’si  (tan  maya  sa- 
mam  agamyatam)  ity  uktva  parijanalaksita  (eva)  tena  sahai  (’va 
puran s)  nirjagama.  (tato  ’neka)nalvasata(matram)  adhvanam 
gatva  (tena)  ’gastyavacanasamhrta[83]brahmamda(khamda 9)- 
gatasikharasahasrah  kamdaramtar[al]alata10 *grha(prasuptai:l)vi- 
dyadharamithunagltakarnanasukhitacamarl  ( gana 12 ) maranot  (s  u - 
ka)sabara(kula)sambadhakaccha(tatah)  kataka(tatagata)karika- 
rakrstabhagnasyamdama[84]naharicamdana(rasa)m5da(gamdha)- 
vahigamdhavahasisiritasilatalah  sudurapatanabhagnatalaphala- 

1 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara  also  omit 
viitrasya  hrdayam. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara  and 
Narasimha. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  G. 

5 Cf.  api  punar  grhitapatha  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  H. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D. 

11  Cf.  grkasukhaprasupta  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  D,  F,  G and  grhasupia  in 

manuscript  B. 

12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  H. 


1 56 


VASAVADATTA 


rasardrakaratalasvadanotsukasakhamrga  ( kadambakah  1 ) pra- 
lambamananirjhar(dpamtani)  vista  2 jlvam(jlvaka)  mithuna(lihya- 
mana)vividhaphala[85]rasamoda(gamdha)surabhitapansarah  sa- 
rabhasakesarisahasrakharanakharadharavidaritamattamatamga- 
kumbhasthalavigalita(sthula)muktaphala(sabala  3)sikharataya  (si- 
kharava)lagnam  taraganam  ivd  ’dvahan  sugriva  iva  [86]  rksaga- 
vayasarabhakesarikumuda(panasa  4)sevyamanapadacchayah  pa- 
supatir  iva  na(32)ganisvasasamutksiptabhutih  janardana  iva  vi- 
(kaca)vanamalah  sahasrakirana  iva  saptapatrasyamdandpetah  vi- 
rupaksa  iva  [87]  sannihitaguhah  sivanugatas  ca  kaml  ’va  kam- 
tardsarasanugatah  samadanas  ca  siiparvata  iva  sannihitamalli- 
karjunah  naravahanadatta  [88]  iva  priyamgusyamasanathah  ^i- 
^ur  iva  krtadhatrldhrtih  vasararambha  iva  [gairika5]runaprabha- 
patalita(patra)vanarajih  krsnapaksa  iva  bahulatagahanah  karna 
iva  ’nubhu(33)tasatakotidanah  bhlsma  iva  si[89]khamdimuktair 
ardhacamdrair  acita(tanuh)  kamasutravinyasa  iva  mallanaga- 
(ghatitakamtara)samddah  hiranyakasipur  iva  sambarakulasrayah 
gairikavyajad(upari  c)ravirathamargamarganartham  iva  ’runeno 
’pasya[9o]manah  sikharagatasuryacamdramastaya  vistaritald- 
cano  ’gastyamargam  ivo  ’dvlksamanah  (kulisaksataramdhra)- 
sra(34)stamtra(nala7)  iva  jaradajagarabhogaih  kumbhakarna  iva 
damtamtarala(gatair 8)  vanara(vyuhaih 8)  pimda(lakta[9i]ka9ra- 
ktapada)  panktisucitasam  ( cara ) saclpativaravilasinlsamketaketakl- 
mamdapah  akullnd  ’pi  sadvam^abhusitah  darsitabhayo  ’pi  mrtyu- 
phala(daya)  saprastho  ’py  aparimanah  sanado  ’pi  nis[92]sabdah 
bhlmo  ’pi  kicakasuhrt  pihitambaro  ’pi  (vi)lasadamsukah  vimdhyo 
(35)  nama  [maha  10]girir  adrsyata.  [93]  yas  ca  pravrddhagulma- 
taya  (rogl  ’va)  drsyamanabahudhatuvikarah.  (yas  ca)  sadhur 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H. 

2 Cf.  nirjharaiikharopdntopavista  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  H. 

* So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

5 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara  and 
Narasimha  also  omit  gairika. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  G,  H. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  E.  8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  G. 

9 Cf.  pitiddlaktakahkita  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  G,  H. 

10  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara  also  omit  maha. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


157 


iva  sanugrahapracaraprakatitamahima  mlmamsanyaya  iva  pihi- 
tadigambaradarsanah.  yas  ca  harivamsair  iva  puskar(aksa)pra- 
durbhavarama[94]nlyaih  rasibhir  iva  mlna(makarakullramithu- 
na)samgataih  karanair  iva  sakuninagabhadrabalavakulopetaih 
(36)  devakhatair  upasobhit(amtah  4).  yas  ca  kusumavicitrabhih 
vamsapatrapatitabhih  sukumaralalitabhih  puspi[95]tagrabhih 
(praharsinlbhih  sikharinlbhih)  latabhih  darsitanekavrttavilasah. 
yas  ca  (samadakala2)hamsasarasarasitodbhramt(otkuta)vikata- 
( kumjakaccha)  vyadhuta  [ vikaca  ] kamala  ( samda)  gajitamakaram- 
dabimdusamdohasurabhitasalilaya  sayamtana(samayamajjat  3)- 
pulimdarajasumdari  [96]  (nimna)  nabhimamdala(pari)pitasalila- 
ya[madamukhararajahamsakulak5lahalamukharitakulapulinaya] 
tatanikata  ( sthitavikata  4 ) mattamatamgagamda  (sthalavig a 1 a n 5 ) - 
madadhara(bimduprakara)stabakitasalilaya  tlraprarudhaketakl- 
kanana(patitadhulInikurumbasamjata)saikatasukhopavistataruna- 
sura[97]mithunanidhuvanalllaparimalasaksikul5pavanaya  tata- 
(vatasthavighatitambhoja6samda)mamdapavasthitajaladevata(vi)- 
gahyamana(payasa)  tlraprarudhavetasa(vana7)bhyamtara(ni8)lina- 
datyuha  ( madotkatakeli ) [ 98  ] kuhakuharavakautukakrsta  surami- 
thunasamstuyaman(o(37)pa  9)bhogaya  upakulasamjata(nalina- 
pumja10)kumjapumjita[kulaya]kukkutaghataghutkarabhairavatl- 
raya  (atapasevasamutsuka)jalamanuslmrditasukumara(tarapuli- 
naya)  upavana(pavana)mdo[99]litatara}a(tara)taramgaya  (najinl)- 


dhasapharaya  (poto)dhanalubdhakoyastika(skambhana  12)bhima- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

3 Cf.  sayantanasamayonmajjat  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  and 
sayantanasamayamajjana  in  manuscript  D. 

4 Cf.  tatanikatavikata  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  D,  F. 

6  Cf.  gandanirgalita  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  E,  G. 

6 Cf.  tatavatavighatitaja mbit  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D ( vighatita  also  in  manuscript 
F,  ghatita  in  manuscript  H). 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  F. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

10  Cf.  kuiijapunjapunjita  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

11  Cf.  nasta  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  and  dhrsta  in  manuscripts  C,  F ; Trichino- 
poly  ed.  omits  dusta. 

12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  E,  F,  G,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 


i58 


vAsavadattA 


vetasavana(lataya 4)  [tarala]taramgamala  2sam(tarad)uddamda- 
( vala)  da  [ i oo]  rsanadhavadaticapalaraj  ilaraji  (raj  ito  3 ) pa  k u 1 a sa  1 i - 
laya  (khamjarlta  4)mithuna(nidhuvana)darsanopajatanidhigraha- 
nakautukakirata[sa[ioi]ta]khanyamana(sthaputita)tIraya  krud- 
dhaye  ’va  darsitamukha[vi5]bhamgaya  mattaye  ’va  (skhalad6)ga- 
tya  dinarambhalaksmye  ’va  vardhamanavelaya  bharatasamara- 
bhumye  ’va  nrtyatkabamdhaya  pravrse  Va  vijrmbhamanasata- 
(38)patrapihita[io2]visadharaya  (sakamaye)  Va  krtabhubhrtse- 
vaya  revaya  priyatamaye  Va  prasarita(taramga)hastayo  ’pagu- 
dhah.  yas  ca 

harikharanakharavidaritakumbhasthalavikalavaranadhvanair 

adya  ’pi  kumbhasambhavam  (sam)ahvayatl  Vo  ’ccatalabhujah. 
(tatramtare)  makaranndas  tam  uvaca 


[103]  pasyo  ’damcadavamcadamcitavapuh  (purvardhapascar- 
dhajbhak 

stabdhottanitaprsthanisthitamanagbhugnagralamgulabhrt 
damstrakotivisamkatasyakuharah  kurvan  satamutkatam 
(ut)kamthah  kurute  kramam  karipatau  krurakrtih  kesarl. 


api  ca 

utkarno  ’yam  akamdacamdimapatus  spharasphuratke- 
sarah 

krurakarakaralavaktra  (kuharas)  stabdhordhvalamgula- 

bhrt 


[104]  (citre  ca)  ’pi  na  sakyate  (vi)likhitum  sarvamgasamkoca- 
(bhak 7) 

(phlt)kurvadgirikumjakumjarasirah8kumbhasthalasth5ha- 

rih. 


anaiptaram  nicadesanadye  ’va  nyagrodhopacitaya  uttarago(graha- 
na)[io5]bhumye  ’va  vijrmbhamanabrhannalaya  (kuru)desa(dhak- 


1 Trichinopoly  ed.,  malaya.  2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  H. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  E.  4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F. 

5 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara  and  Nara- 
simha  also  omit  vi. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  F. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H. 

8 Trichinopoly  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  brhat. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


159 


kaye1)  ’va  ghana(39)sarasarthavahinya  vidagdha[jana]madhu- 
[pana]g5sthye  ’va  nanavitapl[io6]tasavaya  nalakubaracittavrttye 
’va  satatadhrtarambhaya  mattamatamgagatye  ’va  ghamtaravave- 
ditamargaya  sadlsvarasevaye  (’va)  durodgatabahuphalaya  vira- 
talaksmye  ’va  ’’namditaklcakasataya  vimdhyatavya  (katipayadu- 
ram  adhvanam2)gatva  kamina  iva  madanasalakankitasya  (vikarta- 
nasye  ’va  (40)  snigdhacchayasya  vaikumthasye  ’va  laksmlbhrtah 
yatrbdyatanrpater  iva  ghanapatrasobhitasya  vedasye  ’va  bhtiri- 
sakhalamkrtasya  ganikyasye  ’va  ’nekapallavbjjvalasya 3)  jam- 
buvrksasya  (’dhas)  chayayam  (sa)  visasrama.  [107]  atrarntare 
bhagavan  api  marlcimall  atapaklamta(vana)mahisal5canapatala- 
mamdalas  caramacala(sikharam)  aruroha.  tato  makaramdah 
phalamulany  adaya  [katham]  katham  4 api  tarn  abhinamditaha- 
ra(m)[paricayam]  akarslt.  svayam  (api)  tadupabhuktasesam 
(akarbd  asanam).  atha  tam  eva  priyatamam  hrdayaphalake 
(samkalpatulikaya)  likhi[io8]tam  iva  [’va5]lokayan  nispamdakara- 
nagramah  kamdarpaketur  makaramda(viracite)  pallavasayane 
susvapa.  atha  [ardhajyamamatravakhamditayam  (yaminyam) 
[tatra]  jambutarusikhare  (mithah  kalahayamanayds  sukasarika- 
yoh)  kalakalam  srutva  kamdarpaketur  makaramdam  uvaca. 
vayasya  srnuvas  tavad  (anaybr6)  ala[i09]pam  iti.  tat5  (jam- 
bunikumjasthita 7)  sarika  (kacit  cirad  agatam  sukam 7)  prako- 
pataralaksaram  uvaca.  kitava  sarikamtaram  anvisya  [sama]gat5 
’si  katham  anyatha  ratrir  iyatl  tave  ’ti.  (atha)  tac  chrutva  su- 
kas  tam  avadlt.  bhadre  (mumca  kopam8)  apurva  (brhat)katha 
(pratyakslkrta  maya)  tena  ’yam  kalatipata  (iti).  atha  samupa- 
jatakutuha(4i)laya  ^arikaya  (muhur  anubadhyamanah  katham9) 
kathayitum  arebhe.  [tio]  asti  (mamdaragirisrmgair  iva  pra- 

1 Cf.  dhakkaye  'va  in  Hall’s  manuscript  F. 

2 Cf.  katipayam  adiiram  adhvanam  in  Hall’s  manuscript  E,  katipayaduram  in 
manuscript  F,  and  katipayapadatn  duram  in  manuscripts  A,  B. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  except  rajavasathasye  'va  bhuriialalahkrtasy a 

instead  of  vedasye  'va  bhurisakhdlamkrtasya. 

i Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  H also  omit  the  first  katham. 

6 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F,  G also  omit  'va.  6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  F. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

8 Cf.  ma  prakopam  kuru  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  H. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  C. 


i6o 


VASAVADATTA 


sasta^sudhadhavalaih  brhatkatha(Iambair2)  iva  salabhamjik(o- 
pasbbhitaih 3)  vrttair  iva  samanavakakriditaih  kariyuthair  iva 
samattavaranaih  sugrivasainyair  iva  sagavaksaih  balibhavanair 
iva  sutalasannivesaih  vesmabhi[m]r  (udbhasitam4)  dhanadena 
’pi  pracetasa  (gd)palena  ’pi  ramena  priyamvadena  ’pi  puspaketuna 
bharatena  ’pi  satrughnena  ti(42)thiparena  ’py  ati[i  I2]thisatkara- 
(pravanena5)  asamkhyena  ’pi  samkhyavata  amarmabhedina  'pi 
vlratarena  apatitena  ’pi  nanasavasaktena  sudarsanena  ’py  aca- 
krena  ajata[i  I3]madena  ’pi  supratikena  (hamsena  ’py  apaksapa- 
tina)  aviditasne(43)haksayena  ’pi  kulapradlpena  agramthina  ’pi 
vamsapotena  (agrahena  ’pi  kavyajlvajnena)  nidaghadivasene  ’va 
vrsa[vi]vardhitarucina  maghaviramadivasene  ’va  tapasyarambhina 
[114]  (nabhasvate  ’va  satpathagamina  vivasvate  ’va  gopatina 
mahesvarene  ’va  camdram  dadhata  nivasi  6)janena  ’nugatam  (gha- 
napagamene7)  Va  darsitakhamdabhrena  velatatene  ’va  pra- 
vala(mamdanena 8 ) devamga(44)najanene  ’ve  ’mdramparicaya- 
vidagdhena  (gajemdrene)  ’va  pallava[ii5](vardhita)rucina  koki- 
lene  ’va  parapustena  bhramarene  ’va  kusumesulalitena  jalaukase 
’va  raktakrstinipunena  (yayajukene  9)  ’va  suratarthina  mahanata- 
bahu(vanene)  ’va  (baddhabhujamgamkena 10)  garudene  ’va  vila- 
sihr[n6]dayatapa(karina  amdhakene)  ’va  sulanam  uparigatena 
vesyajanena  ’dhisthitam  kusumapurannama  nagaram.  yatra  ca 
surasuramaulimalalalitacaranaravimda  su  [ 1 1 7]  mbhanisumbha- 
(mahasurabalan)mahavanadav(anal12a)jvalarnahis[amah]asuragiri- 

1 Cf.  mandaragirisikharair  iva  pra'sasta  in  Hall’s  manuscript  A,  and  mandarah’h- 
gdir  iva  prasasta  in  manuscript  C. 

2 Cf.  lambhair  in  Hall’s  manuscript  F,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara,  and 
lambhakair  in  manuscript  D ; Trichinopoly  ed.,  lambakdir. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C , D,  F. 

* So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  G,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara 
and  Narasimha. 

5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F,  H. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F. 

7 Cf.  ghandpagama  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  D,  and  ghanagametie  ’va  in  the 
commentator  Jagaddhara. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

10  Cf.  baddhabhujaitgena  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  H. 

11  Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  bala. 

13  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D ; cf.  mahdsuravanaddvajvdld  in  manuscript  H. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


161 


(vara1)vajra[sara2]dhara  pranaya(kalaha  3)pranatagamgadhara- 
jatajuta(k5ti4)skhalitajahnavljaladharadhautapadapadma  bhaga- 
vatl  katyayanl  (camda)bhi(45)dhana  svayarn  (nivasati).  yasya 
ca  parisare  surasura(majjanagalita5makuta)kusumarajorajiparima- 
la[n8]vahim  pitamahakamamdaludharmadravadhara  dharata- 
la(patita)sagarasuta[sata]suranagarasamarohanapunyarajjuh  (aira- 
vatakapblagharghana6)  kampitatata(gata)haricamdana  (syamda- 
manarasa7)surabhitasalila  salllasurasumdarlnitambabimbahatita- 
ralitataramga  snanavatlrnasaptarsi(mamdalavimala8)jatatavlpari- 
malapunyavenl  (enl)tilaka(makutavikata)jatajutakuharabhramti- 
janita(samskare  ’va  ’dya  ’pi)  kutilavarta  dharan!  ’va  sarvabhau- 
makarasparsbpabhdgaksama  jaladakalasarasl  ’va  gamdh(a)[an- 
dh5]paribhramad  9bhramara[ii9]malanumlyamanajala(mula)ma- 
gnakumudapumdarlka  cchamddvicitir  iva  malinisanatha  (gra- 
hapanktir  iva  suryatmajopa  sdbhita  sarajahamsa  ca10  saratkala- 
dinasrlr  ivo  ’jvalatkokanada  prabuddhapumdaiikaksa  ca  hrta)m- 
dhatamasa  ’pi  tamasanvita  (vlclkalila11)  ’py  (46)  (avlcl)durgama 
bhagavatl  bhaglrathl  (pra12)vahati.  yac13  ca  disi  disi  (samtana- 
katarukusumanikaram  iva  sikharavalagnam)  taraganam  iva  kusu- 
manikaram  udvahadbhih  utta[i3o]mbhitajaladaih  anuru[kara]- 
kasabhighataparavasaravirathaturagagrasavisamit(agra)pallavaih 
camdracamurucaranasamkramtamrtakananikarasekasamjata(ba- 
hula)  sukumaranava  (kusuma)  kisalayasahasradarsitakalasamdhya- 
(kala)vibhramaih  bharatacaritair  iva  sadaramasritaih  mahavlrair 
iva  narikelldharaih  asamskrtatarunair  iva  ’tidurapra(sraya)(47)- 
ksaih  (tapasvibhir  iva  japasaktaih  prasadhitair  iva  krtamalbpasb- 
bhitaih)  [matta]matanagakumbhasthala(vi)daran(otsuka)simhair 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F,  H. 

2 Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  D,  E,  H also  omit  sdra. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  F,  H. 

4 Cf.  jutakiita  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  H. 

5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  C. 

0 Grantha  ed.,  garghaiia ; Trichinopoly  ed.,  gharsana. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

8 Cf.  vimala  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

9 Trichinopoly  ed.,  gandhoparibhramad. 

10  Cf.  grahapahktir  iva  siirydnugata  sarajahamsa  ca  in  Hall’s  manuscript  C. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  H.  12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  G,  H. 

13  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed .,yatra. 


M 


vasavadattA 


162 

ivo  (’tphulla1)kesaraih  saristair  api  cirajlvibhih  (muniyutair  api 
madanadhisthitaih)  upavanapadapai[i2i]r  upasdbhitam  aditi- 
jatharam  iva  ’nekadevakuladhyasitarn  patalam  iva  mahabali^d- 
bhitam  bhujamgadhisthitarn  ca  (sasuralayam)  api  pavitram  (bho- 
giyuktam)  apy  (anupadrutam  2).  (tatra3)  [ca]  surata(rabhasa)- 
khinna  (pra)  suptaslmamtimratnatatamka  ( mukha ) mkitabahudam- 
dah  pracamdapratipaksalaksmlke£apasakusumamala[i22]  moda- 
surabhitakarakamalah  prasastakedara  iva  bahudhanyakarya- 
sampa(48)dakah  (partha  iva  subhadranvitah  sabhlmasenas  ca 
krsna  iva  satyabhamanuraktah  sabalas  ca)  srmgarasekharb  nama 
prativasati.  yo  valabhit  pavako  dharmaran  nirrtih  pracetas 
sadagatir  dhanada^  sarnkara  ity  astamurti(dhrd 4)  apy  anasta- 
murtih  [partha  iva  subhadropetah  sabhlmasenas  ca  krsna  iva 
satyabhamopetah  sabalas  ca]. 

[123]  suranam  patasau  sa  punar  atipunyaikahrdayb 
grahas  tasya  ’sthane  gurur  ucitamarge  sa  niratah. 
karas  tasya  ’tyartham  vahati  satakdtipranayitam 

sa  sarvasvarn  data  trnam  iva  (49)  (suremdram)  vijayate5. 

[124]  jlvakrstim  sa  cakre  mrdhabhuvi  dhanusah  satrur  asld 

gatasur 

laksaptir  margananam  abhavad  aribale  (sad  6)yasas  tena 
labdham 

mukta  tena  ksame  ’ti  tvaritam  aribalair  uttamamgaih 
pravista 

paiicatvam  dvesi(sainyair  gatam)  avanipatir  na  ”pa  sam- 
khyantaram  sah. 

[125]  yatra  [ca]  rajani7  rajanlticature  catur(ambudhi  8vela)me- 
khalaya  bhuv5  nayake  sasa(5o)ti  vasumatlm  pitr(karyesu 9)  vrsot- 
sargah  sasinah  kanyatularohanam  (prasavesu)  sulavyaghatacimta 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  H. 

2 Cf.  nirupadrutam  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  G,  H. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D.  4 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  dhrg. 

6 Also  in  Subhasitavali  2631,  reading  rasiko  for  hrdayo  and  atyantam  sprtati  for 
atyartham  vahati. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  A,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

7 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.  omit  rajani.  8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B. 
9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


163 

[danacchedah  karikapdlesu]  daksinavamakaranam  diii(niscaye- 
su1)  sarabhedo  dadhisu  [126]  srmkhalabamdhd  varnagrathanasu 
utpreks(aksepav)  [kavyajalamkaresu  laksadanacyutis  sayakanam 
kvipam  sarvavinasah  kosasamkdcah  kamalakaresu  (na  janesu) 
jati(vi)hlnata  (malasu  na  duskule)  srmgarahani[i27]r  jaratkarisu 
na  janesu  durvarnaydgah  (karnikadisu)  na  kaminl[kanti2]su  gam- 
dharavicchedo  ragesu  na  pauravanita.su  (murchadhigamo  (51) 
ganesu  na  prajasu  karma)bhavo  nlcasevakesu  na  pari(dhanesu  3) 
malinambaratvam  nisasu  na  janesu  [128]  calaragata  gltesu  na 
vidagdhesu  vrsahanir  nidhuvanavlla.su  na  pauresu  bhamguratvam 
ragavikftisu  na  cittesu  anamgata  kamadeve  na  parijane4  mara- 
gamo  yauvan(odgamesu)  na  prakrtisu  dvijaghatah  suratesu  na 
prajasu  rasanabamdho  ratikalahesu  na  dananumati[i29]su  adha- 
ra(ragata)  tarunlsu  na  parijanesu  (krmtanam)  alakesu5  na  puram- 
dhrlsu  nistrimsatvam  (asisu)  na  (manassu)  karavalanaso  (yodhesu 
na  janapadesu)  param 6 (evam  vyavasthitam.  tasya 7 ca  ’bhud 
evambhutasya  rajno)  (52)  mahisl  diggaja[kap5la]mada(rekhe)  ’va 
’namditaligana  [130]  parvat!  ’va  sukumara  (camdrarekhalam- 
krta  ca  vanarajir  iva  navamalikodbhasita  sacitrakanana  ca  apsa- 
rassamhatir  iva  samhatasukesl  samamjughosa  ca)  sarvamtahpu- 
rapradhanabhuta  anamgavati  nama  8.  tayds  ca  madhyamdpamte 
vayasi  vartamanaydh  katham  api  daivavasat  tribhuvanavildbha- 
nlyakrtih  pulomatanaye  ’va  ’narnditasahasranetra  (merugirime- 
khale  ’va  sujatarupa  sarannise  ’v5  ’llasattaraka  satparisad  iva 
’cchidradvijapanktibhusita  raksasakulasrlr  iva  malyavatsukesaso- 
bhita)  tanaya  (’bhud)  vasavadatta  nama.  atha  sa  ravanabhuja- 
(vana9)  ivo  ’l(lasitagotre10  vimdhyacala  iva  ma(53)danalamkrte 
paravara  iva  samjatalavanye  namdanavana  iva  sadakalpa1:Iso- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  G,  H. 

2 Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  F also  omit  kanti. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  G,  H. 

4 Trichinopoly  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  parijanesu. 

5 Trichinopoly  ed.,  kamalesu.  6 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed paramam. 

I So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

8 Grantha  ed.,  anaingavatlnama. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F. 

II  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  kalpaka. 

M 2 


164 


VASAVADATTA 


bhite  pavana  iva  sumanohare1)  parinamam  upayaty  api  (yau- 
vane)  parinayaparanmukhl  tasthau.  [131]  (athai)  ”kada 2 [tu] 
vijrmbhamanasahakarakbrakanikurumbanipatitamadhukaramala- 
madakalajhamkara(humkara  3)  janitapathika[janasan  4]jvarah  ko- 
malamalayamarutoddhutacutaprasavarasasvadakasayakamthaka- 
lakamtha(kuhakuharava  6)bharitasakaladirimukhah  vikacakama- 
lasamda(ni)llyamana[i3z]mattakalahamsakulakolahalamukhari- 
ta[sakala]sarovarah  parabhrta(kharatrdti)kotipatita  6(patall)kut- 
mala  [ vrnta  ] vivaravinirgatamadhudharasaraslkara  [ kan  a]  n i k a r a - 
( samarabdha ) daksinasamlrana  ( maravarana ) vranitapathika  [ j ana  ] 
vadhuhrdayah  madhumadamuditakaminl(mukhakamala)gamdu- 
sa£idhu(sevana)pulakitavakulah  madana(raya)paravasavilasinltu- 

kelitaru^atah  prati(dinam)  a£lllapraya(vaihasika)giyamanagi- 
ta^ravanotsukasidgajanaprarabdhaca  [i33]rcarlgltakarnana(mad- 
yad)anekapathika(janah)  durjana  iva  satamarasah  duskula  iva 
jatihlnah  ravana  iva  ’pltaldhitapalasasata(sevyamanah)  maha^rm- 
garl’va  sugamdha(vahah)  suraje  ’va  samrddhaku[i34]valayah  va- 
stavika  iva  [vi]vardhitasukha£ah  satkavikavya(pra)barndha  iva 
(’nava)baddhatuhinah  satpurusa  iva  dosanubamdharahitah  kai- 
varta  iva  [a7]baddharajlvotpala(jalah)  samrddhakasara[sakuni]- 
sartha  iva  (’namdita)[i35]ma(55)ruvakah  sakra  ive  !mdranl(ruci- 
rah  mahadhlr)  iva  ’dharlkrtadamanakah  sidga  iva  ’mlanasubha- 
gah  vasamtakala  ajagama.  [13d]  atidurapravrddhena  madhuna 
jagati  ko  va  na  vi(kriyeta)  yad  ati(mukto)  munir  api  vicakasa. 
kusuma^arasya  navacuta(kusumabana)mulanillna  madhukar(ava- 
ir  vilikhita  namaksarapanktir)  iva  reje.  vrmtavinirgatavi(kacas- 
vicikilavivare9  kujan)  madhukaro  makaraketos  tri[i37]bhuvana- 
vijaya[prayana]£amkhadhvanim  iva  cakara.  navayavakapamka- 

1 Cf.  vindhydcala  iva  madanadhisthite  paravara  iva  sanjatalavanye  madanavana 
iva  sadd  kalpatarunabhinandite  pavana  iva  sumanoharini  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C. 

3 Cf.  athai  ” kada  tu  in  Hall’s  manuscript  C. 

* Cf.  madakalahumkara  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  D,  G. 

4 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  G,  H also  omit  janasan. 

6 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  kuhakuharava ; Trichinopoly  ed.,  kuhakuharava. 

8 Tel.  ed.  61,  kharatrotipatita  ; Grantha  ed.,  kharatrotitapdtita. 

7 Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C also  omit  a.  8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  E,  H. 

s Cf.  vicakilavivaragunjatt  in  Hall’s  manuscript  C. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


165 

pallavita(vara)nupura(ranitaramanlya)tarunlcaranapraharanuraga- 
vasan  navakisalayacchalena  tam  (eva1)  ragam  udavahad  a^5kah. 
madhuramadhu[pari  2]puritakaminlmukhakamalagamdusa(sam- 
gad3)  i(56)va  tadrasa(gamdham 4)  atmakusumesu  bibhrad  vaku- 
lataru  raraja.  amtaramtara  nipatitamadhukaranikara(kimmlrah) 
kamkeligucchordhanirvanamanobhavacitacakranukarl  pathika- 
jana(citta)daham  uvaha.  vikacavi(cikila)rajir  ajikula^aba[i38]la 
(kalitemdranlla)  muktavall  ’va  madhusriyo  viruruce.  virahinam 
hrdayamathanaya  kusumasarasya  (sana)cakram  5 iva  nagakesara- 
kusumam  asobhata.  pathikajanahrdayamatsyam  grhltum  maka- 
raketoh  (palavall6)  Va  patall(kusumam)  adrsyata.  kanadarpake- 
li[sampal]lampatalatlla[i39]latatata(lulitalakadhammilabhara7- 
kusuma)parimalasamrddhamadhurimagunah  kamakalakalapa(ni- 
puna)karnatasumdarl  (sumdara 8)  stanakalasa  (yugala ) ghusrnadhu- 
li(patala)parimalamodavahI  (ranaranakarasitaparamta)kamta- 
[kuntall]kumtalol(lasita)samkramtaparimalamilitalimala(madhu- 
ra)jharnkararavamukharitanabhas(sthalah)  navayauvan(5ddhata)- 
keraJIkapoIapalIpatrava]l[i4o]paricayacaturah  catussastikalaka- 
lapavidagdhamugdha  (57)  ( mukharamalavl)  [nitambinl 9]  nitamba- 
bimbasamvahana(subhagah)  surata(pari)sramaparavas(amdhra- 
puramdhrl10 *)nlramdhraplnapay5dharabharanidaghajalakanani- 
kara(sisirah)  malaya(maruto 71)  vavau.  atramtare  vasavadatta- 
sakhijanat  vidita(suta)bhiprayah  srmgarasekharas  svasutayah 
svayamvarartham  asesa(dhara)talabhajam  (rajaputranam)  eka- 
tra  (melanam)  akarot.  tat5  dagdhakrsn(agarudhupa)parima- 
lambdamohitamadhu  (karamala 12  [141]  bahujaghumaghumayita13- 
rava)mukharita(digamtaram)  atirabhasahasacchat(amodaparimali- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  D,  G,  H. 

a Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H also  omit  pari. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C. 

4 Cf.  tatsamdnagandham  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  G. 

5 Cf.  takratacakram  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

6 Trichinopoly  ed.,  jalavali. 

7 Cf.  dhammillabhara  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

9 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  E,  F,  H also  omit  nitambinl. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F.  11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  G,  H. 

12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  G.  13  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  F. 


1 66 


VASAVADATTA 


tam)  anekaparihasa(katha  1)lapavidagdha(srmgara[i42]maya2)ja- 
na(nicaya)samakulam  dahyamana(mahisaksadisugamdhadravya)- 
saurabhakrstapuropavanasatpadakul[asam]akulam  arjunasama- 
ram  iva  namdighosamukharitadigamtararn  (nrpasthanam  iva  sa- 
rajopaharam  tapasasramam  iva  vitanodbhasitarn  trivistapam  iva 
sumanolamkrtam)  mamcam  aruroha  (vararoha)  vasavadatta.  ta- 
tra  [ca3]  kecit  kulamkura  iva  vi(dita)nagaramamda(58)nah  [143] 
apare  parndava  iva  (sadivyacaksusah  4)  krsnaguruparimilitas  (ca) 
anye  saraddivasa  iva  [su  5]durapravrddh[asukh  6]asah  itare  (pra- 
hartum)  udyata  [144]  iva  svabalarthinah  kecid  vyadha  iva  saku- 
nasravakah  kecid  akhetaka(sakta)  iva  rupanusarapravrttah  kecit 
jaiminimatanusarina  iva  tathagatadhvamsinah  kecit  khamjana 
iva  (samvatsarika)phaladarsinah  kecit  sumerupa(59)risara  iva 
kartasvaramayah  kecit  [145]  [vikaca  7]kumudakara  iva  bhasvad- 
darsanamllitah  kecid  dhartarastra  [146]  iva  visvarupavalokana- 
janiterndrajal(adbhut  8)apratyayah  kecid  atmani  varanabuddhya 
balavamtd  ’pi  subahah  kecit  panigrahanarthind  [147]  ’py  asuka- 
ram  manyamanah  kecid  adharl(krta9)  (60)  api  sthirah  kecit  pam- 
duputra  iva  ’ksahrdayajnanahrtaksamah  kecit  brhatkathanu(sa- 
rina  iva)  gunadhyah  kecit  tiryaggataya  (iva)  sugamdhavahah 
[148]  kecit  kauravasainika  iva  drona(sastra)sucakah  kecit  (kaira- 
va)kara  iva  ’sodhasurabhasah  (ksanam  evam)  sthitah  rajaputrah. 
(sa  ca  ksanenai  ’’tan)  ekaika^as  sam(a)[i49]lokya  viraktahrdaya 
(satl)  tasmat  (karnlrathad  10)  avatatara.  atha  tasyam  eva  ratrau 
[svapne]  valinam  iva  ’mgadopasobhitam  kuhu(mukham u)  iva 
harikamtham  kanakamrgam  iva  ramakarsananipunam  jaya[i 5o]m- 
tam  iva  vacanamrtanamditavrddhasravasam  kr(6i)snam  iva  kam- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H. 

3 Tel.  ed.  6r,  Grantha  ed.,  and  Trichinopoly  ed.,  atra  ; Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  F, 
G,  H also  omit  ca. 

4 Cf.  divyacaksusah  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  H. 

5 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  F also  omit  su. 

’ Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  H also  omit  sukha. 

7 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H also  omit  vikaca. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  G,  H. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F,  H. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,C,  D,  E,  F,  G,H,and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


167 


saharsam  na  kurvamtam  mahamegham  iva  vilasatkarakarn  (sa- 
mudram  iva  mahasatvatejdyuktam  malinya  kabarikaya  tumga- 
bhadraya  nasikaya  sonena  ’dharena  narmadaya  vaca  gddaya 
bhujaya  svarvahinya  kirtya  ca  punyasarinmayam  iva)  adikarn- 
dam  (srmgara^padapasya  [a 1  2]r5hanagirim  (sakalagunaratna 3- 
samuhasya  4)  prabhava(sailam)  sumdara(kamdarpa)kathanadlnam 
surabhimasam  vaidagdhyasahakarasya  adarsatalam  (saumdarya- 
sya  prathamamulam)  [ 1 5 1 J vidyalatanam  svayamvarapatim  (sa- 
rasvatyah5)  spardha(graham  klrtilaksmydh 5 mula)grham  £lla- 
sarnpadam  k5sa(grham)  mahasaumdarya(dhanasya)  tribhuvana- 
(ramanlya)krtim  (kamcid)  yuvanam  dadarsa.  sa  [ca]  cintamani- 
namnd  rajnas  tanayah  kamdarpaketur  (iti)  svapna  eva  (tan)na- 
madikam  (asrnot).  anamtaram  aho  prajapate  rupa(62)nirmana- 
kausalam  [idam]  manye  svasyai  ”va  [15a]  naipunyasyai  (’’katra) 
dar^andtsukamanasa  (vedhasa)  jagattrayasama(vaya)rupapara- 
manun  adaya  viracitd  ’yam  (iti)  anyatha  katham  iva  ’sya  kamti- 
visesa  Idrso  bhavati.  vrthai  ’va  damayamtl  nalasya  krte  [153] 
(vane)  [vasa]vaEasam  [av]apa.  mudhai  ’ve  ’mdumatl  mahisy 
apy  ajanuragin!  babhuva.  (vi)phalam  eva  dusyamtasya  krte 
(durvasasas  sapam  anubabhuva  sakurntala).  nirarthakam  (eva  6) 
madanamarnjarl7  naravahanadattam  cakame.  [154]  niskaranam 
eva  (merugirinitambe  urugarima8nirjita)rambha  rambha  nalaku- 
baram  aclkamata9.  (vyartham)  eva  dhumdrna  (svayam)svayam- 
varartham  (agatesu  devaganesu)  [1 55]  dharmarajam  (acakamkse10. 
rddhis  tu  nispraydjanam  eva  gamdharvayaksesu  kuberam  asa- 
sada.  ahetukam  eva  puldmatanaya  devemdrasaktacitta  babhu- 
va). iti  bahuvidham  (cimtayitva)  viraha(63)murmur(agni)ma- 
dhyam  adhirudhe  ’va  (madanadava)gnisikhakabalite  Va  (va- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  II. 

2 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H also  omit  a. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

0 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  7 Trichinopoly  ed.,  madanamanjuka. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  G,  H. 

9 Tel.  ed.  6i,  Grantha  ed.,  and  Hall’s  manuscript  E have  acakamata. 

10  Srirangam  text,  Trichinopoly  ed.,  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the 

commentator  Jagaddhara  have  acakanksa. 


i68 


vasavadattA 


samta)kalagni(sikhagrhlte  ’va  daksinamarutajrudrapavakagraste 
’va  (unmada)patala(grham)  praviste  ’va  sunyakaranagrame  (’va1 
vartamana)  hrdaye  (vi)likhitam  iva  utkirnam  iva  pratyuptam  iva 
kllitam  iva  nigalitam  iva  vajra(sara)ghatitam  iva  asthipamjara- 
pravistam  iva  (majjarasasabalitam  iva  marmamtarasthitam)  iva 
pranaparitam  iva  amtaratmana[i56]m  adhisthitam  iva  rudhir(a- 
£aye2)  dravlbhutam  iva  palalasamvibhaktam  iva  kamdarpake- 
tum  manyamana  unmatte  ’va  (’mdhe  ’va)  badhire  ’va  muke  ’va 
^unye  ’va  nirast(emdriya)grame  'va  murchagrhlte  ’va  grahagraste 
’va  yauvanasagara(tarala)taramgaparampara(parite)  ’va  ragaraj- 
jubhih  (parivarite  3)  ’va  kamdarpakusumabanaih  kllite  'va  srmga- 
rabhavanavisa(rasa4)(64)ghurnite  ’va  rupaparibhavana£alya(kl- 
lite)  ’va  malayanilapahrtajivite  ’va  (bhavamtl  sa5  ha  priye)  sakhy 
anamgalekhe  vitara  hrdaye  me  panipadmam  dussahd  ’yam  vira- 
hasamtapah  mugdhe  madana[i57]mamjari  simca  (’mgani)  cam- 
dana(varina)  sarale  vasamtasene  samvrnu  kesapasam  tarale  ta- 
ramgavati  vikira  (’mgesu  kaitaka)dhulim  vame  madanamalini 
vljaya  sai(valakalapena)  capale  citra(rekhe  vicitrapate 6 vilikha) 
citta(coram)  janam  (bhamini)  vilasavati  (viksipa7  ’vayavesu) 
muktacurnanikaram  ragini  ragalekhe  sthagaya  nalinldaja(nica- 
yena)  payddharabharam  (su8)kamte  kamtimati  (mamdam)  mam- 
dam  9 apanaya  baspabimdun  (yuthike  yuthikalamkrte  samcaraya 
kadalldalatajavrmtena  ’’rdravatan)  [158]  ehi  bhagavati  nidre 
anugrhana  mam  dhig  imdriyair  aparaih  kim  iti  ldcanamayany 
eva  (na  krtany  amgani)  vidhina  bhagavan  kusumayudha  (tava10) 
’yam  amjalir  [te]  anu(vas5)  bhava  bhavavati  (ma)drse  jane  [159] 
malayanila  surata(mahotsava  n)dlksagur5  vaha  yath(estam)  apa- 
gata  mama  prana  iti  bahuvidham  bhasamana  (vasavadatta)  sa- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  E,  F,  H. 

2 Cf.  rudhiraiayadravi  in  Flail’s  manuscripts  C,  IF. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  F. 

4 Cf.  Srhgararasabhavana  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  G,  H. 

6  Tel.  ed.  61,  Grantha  ed.,  and  Srirangam  text  omit  sd. 

6 Trichinopoly  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  citrapate. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  H. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H. 

9 Cf.  manda?nanda  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  D,  F,  G,  IF. 

10  Cf.  aftjalis  tava  ’tiucard  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


169 


khljanena  samam  mumurca.  (sapadi)  parijana(prayatnat  grhlta- 
jlva)  [sati1]  ksanam  atisisiraghanasararas(akul)animnaga[kula]- 
puline  ksanam  atituhinamalayajarasasaritparisare  ksanam  (ati- 
lohitakanakaravimdakadamba ) parivaritasaras  (ta  (65 ) tlcamdana  )- 
[i 60] vitapicchaya.su  ksanam  anilbl(lasita)dalesu  kadallkananesu 
ksanam  kusuma(pravala)sayyasu  ksanam  nalinldala(prastaresu 
ksanam  tusarasamghatasisiritasilatalesu  parijanena2  nlyamana) 
pralayakaloditadvadasaravikiranakalapatlvravira  h(analadahya- 
mana)  atikrsa(pranam)  iva  tanum  bibhratl  (sa  ’bala)  mamda- 
(mamdam)  amddlita[i 6 1 ]dugdhasimdhutara]ataramgacchatadha- 
valahasacchuritadharapallavam  tanmukharavimdam  dvijakulam 
iva  srutipranayitadlksanayugalam  sahajasurabhimukhaparimal(a- 
modam 3)  aghratukame  ’va  [su]duravinirgata  (tan)nasavamsa- 
laksmlh  ka}amkamuktemdukala(kalapakomalapiyyusa  4)phena- 
[patalajpamdura  5 (tad)dvijapanktih  [tad  a]drstacaram  anamgam 
(atisayi6tadrupam)  dhanyani  tani  sthanani 7 te  [ca]  janapadah 
(punyah  tani)  namaksarani  [ca8]  [162]  sukrtabhamji  yany  amuna 
pariskrtanl  ’ti  muhur  muhur[pari]bhavayamtl  [diksu  vidiksu]  (vi)li- 
khitam  iva  nabhasi  [utklrnam  iva  vi]l5cane  pratibimbitam  iva  citra- 
(pate 9)  purbdarsitam  iva10  (tarn)  itas  tato  vilokayamtl  vyatisthata. 
atha  tasyas  (tamalika  nama  sarika)  tat(priya)sakhlbhis  (samam 
sama  11)locya  kamdarpaketu(bhavam)  a[i63]kalayitum  (presita). 
(sa  ’pi)  may  a [eva]  sardham  (agata)  ’trai  ”va  taror  adhastat 
tisthatl  ’ty  uktva  virarama.  atha  (tac  chrutva 12  kamdarpaketus) 
saharsam  (sam)utthaya  tamalikam  (a(66)huya)  viditavrttamtam 
akarot.  sa  (tasmai)  krtapranama  [makarandaya]  patrikam  upa- 
nayat.  atha  (makaramdas)  tarn  (adaya)  svayam  eva  ’vacayat. 

I Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  H also  omit  sail.  2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B.  C,  E,  G,  H. 

6  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  pamdara. 

6 Srirangam  text  and  Trichinopoly  ed.,  adrstacaram  anaiigatisayi. 

7 Srirangam  text  and  Trichinopoly  ed.,  tani  dhanyani  sthanani. 

8 Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  G also  omit  ca. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

10  Trichinopoly  ed.,  pratibimbitam  iva  locane purodarsitam  iva  citrapate . 

II  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D. 

12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 


vAsavadatta 


170 

[164]  pratyaksadrstabhava  ’py  asthirahrdaya  hi  kaminl  bhavati 
svapnanubhutabhava  drdhayati  na  pratyayam  yuvatih. 

tac  chrutva  kamdarpaketur  amrtarnava(ni)magna(m)  iva  sarva- 
namdanam  uparivartamana(m  iva  ’’tmanam  manyamanb1  mam- 
damamdam2)  utthaya  prasaritabahuyugalas  tamalikam  a(lilimge). 
[atha]  tayai  ”va  (ca)  sardham  kim  karbti  kim  vadati  katham  asta 
ityadi  sakalam  vasavadattavrttantam  (sa)  prcchan  [tatra  tam  ni- 
sarn]  (tam)  divasam  [api]  (tatrai  ”va)  ’tivahya  (tasmat  pradesat  taya 
sah53  ’ccacala  sasuhrt  kamdarpaketuh).  [165]  atramtare  bha- 
gavan  api  marlcimali  [tana]  vrttamtam  (imam)  kathayitum  (iva) 
madhyama4lokam  avatatara.  atha  vasaratamracudacudacakra- 
karah  cakravaka(hrdaya  5)samkramitasamtapataye  ’va  mamdi- 
manam  udvahann  (astagiri)mamdarastabakasumdarah  simdura- 
(rajiramjita  6)surarajakumbhikumbhavibhramam  bibhranah  tam- 
davacamdaveg5cchalitadhurjatijatajuta(makutavikatabaddha 7)- 
bamdhura[vi[  166]  kata]  vasukibhdgamanitatamkasanabhimanda- 
lah  samdhya(slmamtinl8)sa(67)rasayavaka(patra9)caruh  varunl- 
varavilasinl[aruna10 11]manikumdalakantih  kalakaravala(samchin- 
na)vasaramahisaskamdhacakrakarah  [167]  (madhura)madhu(pu- 
rnatp  kapalam)  iva  (gagana)kapalinah  amlanakusumastabaka 
iva  nabhassriyah  (puspastabaka  iva)  gaganasoka(tar5h)  [iva]  ka- 
naka[maya  n]darpana  iva  praticlvilasinyah  (bhadra  iva  varum- 
samgatah  saragas  ca  durvidagdha  iva  parityaktavasuh  savisadas 
ca  ^akya  iva  raktamsukadharah  surir  iva  samjndpetah)  bhagavan 
dinamanir  (aparakupara)payasi  taralataramgavegbcchalitavidru- 

1 Cf.  parivartamanam  alinanam  vianyamano  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,B. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

4 Trichinopoly  ed.  and  Srirangam  text,  madhyamam. 

5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  F. 

6 Cf.  sindiiraranjita  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B. 

7 Cf.  jutamiikutakotibandha  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

8 Cf.  sairandhrl  in  Hall’s  manuscript  F,  and  the  variant  reading  purandhrl  recorded 
by  ^ivarama. 

9 Cf.  patacaru  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara ; 
also  pattacdru  in  manuscript  D,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

10  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  D,  H also  omit  aruv.a. 

11  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H also  omit  maya. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


171 


mavitapakrtir  mamajja.  (tatah J)  kramena  [ca]  [168]  rajo[vi2]- 
luthitdtthitakulayarthi  [paraspara]  kalahavikalakalavimkakulaka - 
lakalavacalasikharesu  sikharisu  vasati(sa  3)karnksesu  dhvamksesu 
anavaratadahyamanakal(agaru)dhupaparimalodgaresu  vasagara- 
(jalavivaresu)  durvamcitatatinItatanivista(gosthI4)vidagdhajana- 
prastuyamana[kavya5]kathasravan6tsukasisujanakalakala(rav6t- 
kupitasamrddhesu)  vrddhesu  aldlikataralarasanabhih  kathita(ba- 
hu)kathabhir  jaratibhir  a(68)tilaghu[i69]kara(tadana6)janita  (su- 
khabhir7  anugate8)  sisayisamane  sisujane  viracitakamdarpamu- 
drasu  ksudrasu  kamukajananubadhyamanadasljanavividhasllla- 
(vacas)srutivirasl(krtasu 9 kaminlsu)  samdhyavamdanopavistesu 
sistesu  r5mamthamamtharakuramga(kutumba)dhyasyamanamra- 
disthagosthlnaprsthasv  aranyasthallsu  nidra(vidrana)drona(kaka)- 
kula(kalila10)kulayesu  (gramatarunicayesu)  [170]  kapeyavikalaka- 
pikula(kalilesv)  asrama(drumesu  kalakalavikalabakakulesv  ara- 
matarusu)  nirjigamisati  jarattarukdtarakutlrakutumbini  kausika- 
kule  timiratarjananirgatasu  dahanapravistadinakara(sakhasv n) 
iva  [pra  12]sphurantlsu  dlpa(sikhasu  13)  mukharitadhanusi  varsati 
^aranikaram  [anavaratam]  asesa(samsar[i7i]ika)semuslmusi  raa- 
karadhvaje  surat(akalparambhau)sobhini  sambhallbhasitabhaji 
bhajatibhusambhujisyajane  sairamdhrlbadhyamanarasan(akalpa)- 
jalpaka(jaghanasu15)  janlsu  visramtakatha(69)nubamdha[i72]taya 
pravartamana(kathaka  16)janagrhagamanatvaresu  catvaresu  sama- 
(sadita)kukkutesu  (kiratajana)niskutesu  krtayastisamarohanesu 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

2 Hall’s  manuscript  C also  omits  vi. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

4 Cf.  nibaddhagosthikavidagdha  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

5 Hall’s  manuscript  D also  omits  kavya. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  F. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

9 Cf.  krtesu  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D. 

12  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  G,  H also  omit  pra. 

13  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  A.  14  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H. 

15  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

16  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagad- 
dhara. 


172 


vAsavadattA 


barhinesu  vihitasamdhyasamayavyavasthesu  grhasthesu  (svapati) 
samkocbdamcad  ( ucca1 ) kesarakotisamkatakusesay  ( odara)  kdtar  a- 
kutlra(kutila)sayini  satcaranacakre  [’tha]  anenai  (”va  patha)  bha- 
gavata  (bhasvata)  [samajgarntavyam  iti  (sarvatah)  pattamayair 
vasanair  [iva]  manikuttimalir  iva  viracita  varunena  (raveh)  [173] 
kala(karava]a)krttasya  divasamahisasya  rudhiradhare  ’va  vidru- 
malate  ’va  (carama)rnavasya  raktakamalinl  Va  gagana(tatakasya) 
kamcana(ketur 2)  iva  kamdarpa(rathasya)  mamjistharagarunapa- 
take  ’va  gaganaharmya(sthalasya)  laksmlr  iva  svay  am  vara  [pari 3]- 
grhltapltambara  bhiksukl  ’va  taranu(raga)raktambaradharinl 
(varayosid  iva  pallavanurakta  kaminl  ’va  kaleyatamrapay5(7o)- 
dhara  babhur  iva  kapilataraka 4)  bhagavati  samdhya  samadrsyata. 
(tatah)  ksanena  [ca]  ksanad(anu)raga[racana]caturasu  (vesyasv 
iva  samdhya^isyasv  iva  sphurarntTsu  dlpalekhasu)  [174]  tuladha- 
ra^unyayam  panya(vldhikayam)  iva  divi  [ghanajghatamanadala- 
putasu  putakinisu 5 timiraprati(hatesv  ive  ’tas  tatah)  paribhra- 
matsu  kamalasarasi  madhukara(nikaresu)  vikalakurarlrutaccha- 
lena  [175]  ravivirahavidhura.su  vilaparntlsv  iva  sardjinlsu  (prati- 
phalitasamdhyaragarajyamanasalilasthitasu  pativina^ahrtpldaya 
dahanapravistasv  iva  kamalinlsu)  ganaka  iva  naksatrasucake  pra- 
dose  harakamtha[kanda]kalimasanabhi  daityabala[i76]m  iva 
pra(katita6)tarakam  bharatasamaram  iva  vardhamanolukakalaka- 
lam  drstadyumnavlryam  iva  kumthitadronapra(bhavam)  namda- 
na[vana7]m  iva  samcaratkausikam  krsnavartma(jvalanam)  iva 
(ni)khilakasthapaharakam  sagarbham  iva  [177]  ghanatarapa- 
sana(karkasasu)  giritatisu  sacaksur  iva  supta(prabuddha)simha- 
nayana(cchavi)cchatakapilesu  sanusu  sajlvam  iva  tamomanibhih 
samvardhitam  iva  ’gnihotradhuma(rekhabhih)  mamsalitam  iva 
kaminlkesa[pasa]samskara[aguru](dhupa)patalaih  u(7i)ddlpitam 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  F.  2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

3 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  H also  omit  pari-,  Tel.  ed.  61,  Grantha  ed.,  and 

Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F have  svayamgrhita. 

* So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D,  except  kaleyaka  for  kaldya,  'and  omitting  kd- 
mini  ’va. 

5 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed putikinisu. 

6 Cf.  prakata  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  F. 

7 Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  F,  II  also  omit  vana. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


173 


iva  ghanatara(nlla)madhukara[i78](patalaih  mecakitam  iva1 11)  pe- 
cakikap5la(galita)danadhara£lkaraih  pumjlkrtam  iva  vitatatamala- 
(kanana2cchata)cchayasu  (ni)llyamanam  iva  kajjala(rasa  3)syama- 
bhdgibhdgesu  pravaranam  iva  rajampamsulayah  palitausadham 
iva  vrddhavara(yositam)  apatyam  iva  rajanyah  suhrd  iva  [179] 
kalikalasya  mitram  iva  durjana(hrdayanam  4)  bauddha(siddham- 
tam  6)  iva  pratyaksadravyam  apahnuvanam  [timiram  vyajrmbhata] 
muditam  iva  [atic]mattamatamga(gamdhasthale)  phalitam  iva  ’tisa- 
mdra(bahula)cchada(vitata  7)tamala(kanana8sphutapatavotkatavi- 
samkatanekavitapivitapotkata9sphutakusumaputapihita10padasat- 
padavallsunpari)sphuritam  iva  [atikanta]kamta[jana]ghanatara- 
kesa[pasa  12]samhatau  (unmllitam)  ive  ’mdranlla[mani]rasmibhih 
ati[i8o]sayamamsalitam  iva  ’vata(tatesu)  satopam  iva13  [sphuta- 


(’ti)ghanataragh5raghasmaravisadharabh5ga(bhasuramada)bhara- 
matta  14damtidamta[i8i]dyutitarjana(jarjharitatamam  [tamah] 
divakarddayarambhanam)  iva  samkucat(kuvalayam  asatarn  ma- 
hattvam  iva  tiraskrtasakalamtaram  nimllannlldtpalavyajaracitam- 
jaliputena  namad  iva  ”gatam)  tamlm  (timiram  arajata.  atha) 
ksanen(ai  ”va)  samdhyatamdava(dambaro)cchalitamahanata(72)- 
jatajutakutakutila(skhalana)vivartitajahnukanyavaridharabimdava 
iva  (pra)klrnah  dur(bharadharanl)bhara[bhara]bhugnabhlmadin- 
[matta15]matamga(gamda)mamdala(vi)mukta[i82]slkaracchata  iva 
(tatah16)  atidavIyonabha(sthala17)bhramanakhinna(ravituramgama- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  D,  F. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,F. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  F. 

5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  G,  H. 

6 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C also  omit  ati. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  G,  H. 

8 Trichinopoly  ed.  kanane  satopam  iva. 

9 Cf.  'saiikatanekavitapotkatavitapi  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

10  Trichinopoly  ed.,  nihita. 

11  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  G,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara  and  Narasimba 
also  have  avails u. 

19  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  H also  omit pa'sa. 

13  Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  satopam  iva.  14  Trichinopoly  ed.,  hhasuram  matta. 

15  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H also  omit  matta. 

15  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  17  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  G,  H. 


174 


vasavadattA 


syavivaramta)phenastabaka  iva  (vislrnah  J)  gaganamahasarah  ku- 
muda(samdoha)samdeha(dayinah)  visvam  ganayato  [vi]dhatu£ 
sasikathinlkhamdena  tamdmaslsyame  ajina  iva  (viyati1  2)  samsa- 
rasyatisunyatvat  sunyabimdava  iva  vi(likhitah)  jagattrayavi(jigl- 
sa)vinirgatasya  makaraketoh  rati[i83]kara[tala]viklrna  (iva  la- 
jamjalayah3  gulika)stragulika  iva  (viksiptah)  puspa(dhanusah) 
viyadamburasiphenastabaka  iva  (vitatah)  rativiracita  gagan(am- 
kane)  atarpanapaiicamgulaya  iva  viklrnah  vy5ma(tala)laksml- 
haramuktanikara  iva  (vicchinnah  harakopanaladagdhakama  4 *)cita- 
cakrad6  vatya(vesavipraklrnah)  kamaklkasa[i84]khamda  iva  ti- 
mirodgama[dhuma]dhuma}asamdhyanalaparitaptagagana(maha- 
nasa)sthall[kataha]bharjyamana(sphutita)laj (anukaras 6 tara)  vya- 
rajamta.  tabhis  (svitrl)  ’va  viyad  asobhata.  (dlrghatar)occhva- 
saracanakulam  (sam7)slesavaktra(cakra)ghatanapatu  sat(kavya)- 
viracanam  iva  ca(73)kravakamithunam  atlfiS^Jva  ’khidyata.  ka- 
malinl  [vana]  samcaranalagnamakaramdabimdusandohalubdhamu- 
gdhamukharamadhukaramalasabalagatram  kalapasene  Va  (murti- 
mad)ramasapene  (’va)  ’’krsyamanam  cakravakamithunam  vija- 
ghate.  ravivirahavidhurayah  [i  86]  kamalinya  hrdayam  iva  dvi- 
dha  papata  cakravakamithunam.  agamisyato  himakaradayitasya 
parsve  samcaramtl  kumudinyah  bhramaramala  dutl  ’va  ’laksyata. 
taraka(nayanajalabimdu)vyajad  astamgatasya  divakara(dayitasya) 
sokad  iva  [sthulasrubindubhih8]  kakubhd  vyarudan.  bhasvato 
nijadayitasya  virahad  abhinavakimjalkarajivyajena  (sokanala)- 
murmuro  [iva]  (nalina)kosahrdaye  jajvala.  (tato)  ravirasmi(da- 
vagni9bhasm!krta)[i87]nabhovanamasIrasir  iva  ^rutivacanam  iva 
(ksapita10)digambaradarsanam  (krsnam  api  tiraskrtavisvarupabha- 

1 Cf.  tlrtia  in  Hall's  manuscript  B. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

3 Cf.  vikirna.  lajanjalaya  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D. 

6  Trichinopoly  ed.,  cakrac  candrad. 

6 Cf.  sphutitaldjalnjdnukdrd  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  F,  H,  and  the  commenta- 
tor Jagaddhara. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara  and  Narasimha. 

8 Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  H also  omit  sthiilatrubmdubhih . 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  G. 

10  CL  ksata  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  F,  H. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


*75 


vaVisesam)  sadyo  dravita(rajatapatadravapravaha)  iva  sarvaram 
amdhakaram  [vy]ajrmbhata.  (atha)  ksanena  [ca]  ksanadaraja(ka- 
nyakamtuka  iva)  kamdarpakanakadarpana1 2  (iva)  udayagiribalama- 
mdarapuspastabaka  (iva)  pracl(mahila(74)lalamalalata3tataghatita- 
bamdhukakusumatilaka)[i88]cakrakarah  kanakakumdalam  iva 
nabhassriyah  (dig)vadhuprasadhikahastasrastalaktaka(pimda4)  iva 
gaganasaudha(talasatakumbha)kumbha  iva  prasthana(mamgala)- 
kalasa  iva  (makaraketos  tribhuvanavijayaisinah)  [kandarpakarta- 
svaratunamukhakantitaskarah  pracyasailasikharagraprarudhaja- 
pakusumacchavih  svacchakunkumapindapuma[i89]patram  iva 
nisavilasinyah]  kumkumarun[aik]astanakalasa  iva  ’’khamdalasa- 
mganayah  (garuda)  iva  harinadhisthitah  rama  iva  laksmananvitah 
(vanaremdra  iva  ’nuraktatarah  vrsabha  iva  rohinlpriyah)  suraje 
’va  raktamamdalah  (mrdukarasahitas  ca  jambavan  iva  rksapari- 
vrtah)  rajanlpatir  udayam  asasada.  [tatah]  kaminlhrdayasamkra- 
mita  iva  (cakra)mgana(nayanayugala)pIta[i9o]  iva  raktakumuda- 
kos(a)l!dha  iva  kslnatam  (gatah)  ksanada(karagato)  ragah.  ana- 
mtaram  sarvarlvrajamganaviskrta(nutana)navanltasvastika  iva 
(mrgacchaya)mudrita[mukura5]  iva  (’’darsah)  svetatapatram  iva 
makaraketbh  damta(pa}l)cakram  iva  viyanmaha(khadgasya)  sve- 
tacamaram  iva  madana[i9i]maharajasya  (bala)pujinam  iva  nisa- 
yamunayah  sphatikalirngam  iva  gaganamahatapasasya  amdam 
iva  kaloragasya  kambur  iva  nabhomaharna(75)vasya  caityam  iva 
[madanaridagdhasya  makaraketbs  citacakram  iva]  (kal)amgarasa- 
balam  (bhavanetragnidagdhasya)samkalpajanmanah  (pumdarlkam 
iva  gaganagamigamgayah  phenasamcaya  iva  gaganamaharna- 
vasya)  paradapimdam  iva  (gagana)dhatuvadinah  rajatakalasa  iva 
durvapravalasabalo  (manobbavabhisekasya6  svetacakram  iva) 
ka[i93]mdarpa(rathasya  cudamanir  ivo  ’dayagirinagarajas}^a  sve- 
taparavata  iva  ’mbaramahaprasadasya  gaganasariddhautakumbha- 
sthalam  ivai  ’’ravatasya)  bhagnasrmgapurana(gbmumdam)  khamda 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  F.  2 Trichinopoly  ed.,  darpanam. 

3 Cf.  pracimahildlalata  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

5 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara  also 

omit  mukura. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 


1 76 


vAsavadattA 


iva  (tara)svetagodhuma^alino  nabhahksetrasya  malayajapirnda- 
(pamdu)rajata(talavrmtam)  iva  siddhamganahastasrastam  (kslna- 
ragobhagavan  udu)patir  ujjagama.  [193]  yas  ca  purndarikam  (15- 
ka)l5canamadhukaranarn  sayanlyasaikatam  [iva1]  citta(raja2)ham- 
sanam  sphatikavyajanam  virahavahnlnam  svetasanacakram  [194] 
manmathasayakanam.  atramtare  ’bhisarikasartha(presitanam3) 
t1 95]  priyataman4  prati  dutlnam  dvyarthas  [sersyah]  saprapamca 
vi(hara)[i96]bharnguras  (sam)vada  babhuvuh.  tathahi  a(76)va- 
strlkrtam  atmanam  [197]  na  ’’kalayasi  tattvatah  kamta.  prastara 
iva  krurd  ’si  na  ca  ”karsaka[i98]cumbakadravakesv  eko  ’si  bhra- 
mako  ’si  param  kitava.  dharmarthanya[i99]prayuktah  ksepanika 
iva  mudha  vahitataravaris  tvam  asi.  sakhedam  iva  (tam)  manasa 
cimtayasi  dur(labham)  [janarn].  (77)  satvasara(citto)  yd  ripu- 
[2oo]mamdalagratd  nirvrtim  upetya  tisthati.  sa  khalu  virah  pra- 
ti[2oi]paksasya  yas  sampraharatah  kumjaran  nayati.  dhrtbruka- 
ravalasamca[202]y5  ’pi  paramakamda  eva  sampatan  mahapadam 
vigrahe(78)na  labhate.  [203]  rajasena  (rajase  narahitb)  rahito  dhru- 
vam.  (asta)visarada  [vijsaradabhravisada  visadatmanlna(mahi- 
mana)mahimanaraksanaksama  ksama[204]tilaka  dhlratadhlrata 
manasi  (bhuta)  ’bhutatabhutata  (ca)  vacasi.  sa  ’ha  sena  [205]  sa 
’hasena  kamala  (kamalalaya  yaya)  ’jita  sa  tvadarpana  darpanaka- 
ravimalasaya  sayabja[vi5]nirjitakisala(79)ya  salaya[2o6]mgulir 
(iva)  vibhramena  vibhramena  [prati]gavaksasalakavivaram  (prati)- 
vilokayamtl  [207]  [vi](l6kayamtntavinasa  vina  sapam  anubhavati) 
duhkhani.  jlvanayaka  jlvanaya  (kam  iva)  na  (’’srayati0)  subha- 
gam.  anya[2o8]sta  ’vada  ’satam  (aham  eva)  dasatam  purato  bha- 
jami  maitryatb  maitry  ato  [209]  ’stu.  amjasa  ratas  saratah  kim 
api  kamdarpakam  darpakam  na  (cet)  tanbsi  visesatd  (visesatah 
sthiram7)  eva  maranam.  sathadhiyam  sddhana  ya(8o)sodhana 
[210]  premaharya  maharya  (sama  so8)  ’tkataksaih  kataksair  avi- 

1 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F also  omit  iva. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F,  G. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  G,  H. 

4 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,^ priyatama. 

6  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F also  omit  vi. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  G. 

7 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  visesa/asthiram. 

8 Cf.  samasamo  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  F,  H. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


*77 


rbhutadasya  ’stadasyah  parijanah.  kamalakrtinarlnam  kamala- 
krti  na  ’rinam  [21 1]  bhavata  mukharn  ca  malinitam.  visvasya 
visvasya  vyava(stham)  samasadyasamasa  (’dya)  ’neka(kalam:)  sa- 
mglta(rasika)tanuse  tanusekam  (anarngasya)  puspesupuspesu  ruja 
tarasa  jatarasa  mamdaksamam(8i)da  ksanam  (api)  [212]  bhra- 
mamtl  muhyati.  ka  madhura  ’dharena  kamadhuradharena  (yukta) 
rajo(raja)visesakena  visesakena  mukhemduna  tava  hrdi  lagna 
[213]  (mrdima)karena  karena  svedabimdupayodharena  payodha- 
rena  vaksahphalakamcanena  jita  ’navilakamcanena.  kamadaruna 
(82)  madarunanetra  smaramayam  (rasamayamtam  bhavamtam) 
adayam  madayamtl  param  akam  itaram  [214]  param  akamitaram 
vamchati  harina  ha  ’rina  stanakumbhena  harina  ’ksiruciharina 
caksusa  [harina]  (ca1 2).  anamtaram  dugdharnava(nimagnam)  iva 
(sphatika)grhapravistam  iva  svetadvlpa(nivistam)  [215]  iva  jagad 
amumude.  (tatah)  kramena  ca3  vighatamanadalaputakumudaka- 
nanakosamakaramdabimdusarnd5ha(samdranisyamdasvada4ma- 
da)mudita[mugdha]madhukarakulakala(rava)mukharitadig(amta- 
re5 6)  camdrikapanabharalasacakorakaminlbhir  abhinamdit(agame) 
suratabhara[parisramaG]khinnapuH[2i6]mdaiajasumdansvedajala- 
kanika(83)paharini  pra(vati7)  sayamtane  tanlyasi  nisanisvasanibhe 
nabhasvati  kamdarpaketus  tamalikamakaramdasahayo  vasava- 
datta[janaka]nagaram  ayaslt.  atha  (sa  pravisya)  katakaika(dese 
vinihitam)  [abhramlihasikharena  sudhadhavalenai  ’’kantaranivista- 
kanakamuktamarakatapadmaragasakalena  vasavadatta[2 1 7]darsa- 
nartham  avasthitadevataganene  ’va  salavalayena  parigatam]  (ani- 
lollasita)nabhastaru(kusuma8 9)mamjanbhir  iva  tarjayamtlbhir  iva 
gagana(puran)sriyam  patakabhir  upasbbhamanaip  kanakasilapa- 
tt(amkana)prasrtabhih  karpurakumkumacamdanailalavamga[ga- 
ndh6daka]parimalavahinlbhih  [vahinlbhir  ajnata](tatanikata- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B. 

3 Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  ca. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  C. 

6  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G. 

6 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  H also  omit  pari'srama. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G. 


N 


i78 


vAsavadatta 


sphatika^ila1)sukhanisannanidraya[2i8]man(ojjata)prasada(^veta2)- 
paravatabhih  prabhrasyattata[nikata]vitapi(suma)stabakitasalila- 
bhih  anavaratamajjadunmajjad[mada3]yuvati[jana]ghanajaghan(a- 
sphalanocchvasita4)sikaranikarasnapita(tIra5)vedikabhih  karpura- 
pura[viracita]pulina(talanisanna6)ninadanumlyamana(rajahamsa- 
bhih)  vika[2i9]canllotpala[kanana]darsita(kararndava)cakravaka- 
timirasamkabhih  (yuvatlbhir)  iva  supaybdharabhih  sugrivayuddha- 
(vrttibhir)  iva  kllalasnapitakumbhakarnabhih  sagarakulabhumibhir 
iva  sumdaiipa(84)dapara[22o]gasabalabhih  [nava]nrpaticittavrtti- 
bhir  iva  (kulyayamanakarinlbhih  nadlbhir)  upasdbhitam  sikhara- 
gatamuktajalavyajena  purayuvati[jana]darsan[akutuhal]agatam 
taraganam  ivo  ’dvahadbhih  upamta[22i]nillnabhih  kacakalasa- 
krtim  udvahamtibhih  sikhi(samhatlbhir)  udbhasitaih  prasadair 
(upasobhamanam)  [kvacid]  anavaratadahyamanakrsn(agarudhu- 
pa7mamdalaih)  darsitakalajalada(sannaham8)  kvacid  [ati9]gambhl- 
ramurajaravahuta(samada)nllakamtham  ^ayamtanasamayam  iva 
patitalokalocanam  janakayajnasthanam  iva  dar(dtsukita10)[222]ra- 
mam  (manusam11)  iva  ’bhinamditasuratam  (aranyam  iva  ’nekasa- 
lasobhitarn 12)  nidhanam  iva  kautukasya  (asthanam)  iva  srmgarasya 
kula(graham)  iva  (sakalavibhramanam)  samketasthana[223]m  iva 
saumdaryasya  vasavadattabhavanam  bhavanamdanaprabhavb  da- 
da(85)r£a.  dravasi  drava(siddher  agadita13)  capala  capalayate  kim 
esa  [224]  stabakas  taba  karnatah  patitb  ’yam.  surekhe  (sukapo- 
larekhe)  suraya  [cita14]  suraya(cita1,'i)  srls  tvam  asi.  (matte)  kalahe 


I So  also  Hall's  manuscript  D.  2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C. 

3 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  H also  omit  niada. 

* Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  H also  have  ucchvasita. 

5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  D,  G. 

* So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

7 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  F,  H also  have  dhupa,  and  manuscripts  C,  E,  G 

dhupadhuma. 

8 Cf.  ulsaham  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

* Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H also  omit  ati. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

II  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

52  Cf.  kantaram  iva  ' nikaialdpaiobhitam  in  Hall  s manuscript  D. 

13  Cf.  nigadite  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  D,  F. 

Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  F,  H also  omit  cita. 

55  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


J79 


kalahema(kamci)damakvanitaih  smaram  iva  ’’hvayasi.  malaye 
malayepsitam  (kuru)  drsai  ’va  ’dhigata  ’si.  kalike  [225]  kaliketum 
(imam)  [mukharam  munca  mekhalam]  srnumah  kalavallakl(vi)- 
rutam  mekhala  me  khala  na  bhavati  tvam  eva  mukharataya 
[mu]kharataya  ca.  trapa(86)te  ’tra  (pateyam  iti  naga)kusumopa- 
(haresu1  skhalamtl  ’yam),  tava  kaitavakair  alam  (kalilo  nisvasair) 
vepathur  eva  ’’sayam  vyanakti.  vahatl  ’va  hatir  anamga[226]le- 
khe  (tava  vapuh)  smarasayakanam  tava  (ca  haralata  vihita  vihi- 
taya)  te.  (utkalike  tavo)  ’tkalika(bahule)  vadane  vada  netra(payo- 
jakamte)  kim  upamanam  i[227]mdur  apy  upayati.  vasatl  ’va  sa- 
turate tava  hrdi  k5  ’pi  satadha  satadharasara  vacas  tava  ’nubhu- 
tah.  (keralike2  rajite)  karakakarakalameghakhamdatulam  (upa- 
yaty3)  ulla(87)sitotphullamaIlika(malaharI  tava)  kumtalakalapah 
[tava  yati4].  (kumtalike5  kumtalalamkrte  na  ca)  purag5pura(gau- 
car^i)  sruyamte  (sam)gltadhvanayah.  kim  iva  kalpayasi  ksanam 
Iksanamllanad  (asi6  catula[228]catulampatasakhljana  ’si.  surate 
surate)  stanata  stanatadanesu  yat  saukhyam  [tal7]labdham  sma- 
rata  smaratapanbdanam  (tada  kena  viyukta8 *)  ’si.  kim  (ucyate3) 
mahato  mahato  [dayito10]  dayitah  [229]  smarati  sma  ratipriyam 
tava  kausalam.  navani(88)(satana)kharanam  nakharanam  [vranah] 
smarajanyam  sma  rajanyam  kurute  (kurutena)  rujam.  [kim]  te11  lo- 
canabhyam  locanabhyam  (phalita)khilajaneksanadesah  ksanadesah 
[230]  kin  na  piyate.  priyasakhi  madanamalini  (malini  bimbadha- 
rasamgatyagecchaya)  viragam  kuru  madhumadarunamalavikapb- 
la(komalaloladala)mamdalataya  lataya  (kd  visesas  tvaya).  kura- 
[2ji]mgike  kalpaya  kuramga(sabebhyas12)  saspankuram.  kisorike 
kara(89)ya  (kisoram)  pratyaveksam.  taralike  taralaya  krsn(aga- 
ru)dhupapatalam.  karpurike  (pamsulaya)  karpuradhulibhih  payo- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  D,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

2 So  also  Hall's  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  H.  4 Hall’s  manuscript  H also  omits  tava  yati. 

5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G. 

* Trichinopoly  ed.,  ayi.  7 Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  G also  omit  tal. 

8 Hall’s  manuscript  D and  the  commentator  Narasimha  also  have  viyukta. 

9 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  ueyas ?. 

10  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  D,  G also  omit  the  first  dayito. 

11  Srirangam  text  and  Trichinopoly  ed.,  tava. 

12  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  iakhebkyai. 

N 2 


i8o 


vAsavadatta 


dharabharam.  matamgike  manaya  matarngasisu(dhavanam).  sa- 
silekhe  (vi)likha  lalatapatte  sasi(rekham).  ketakike  samketaya 
ketakl(mamdapad5halam).  saku[232]nike  dehi  kiidasakunibhya 
aharam.  madanamamjari  (mamjlraya  latamarndapam.  kadalike 
vidalaya)  kadahgrham.  srmgaramamjari  [san]kalpaya  srrngara- 
(racanam1.  sarnjlvanike2)  vitara  jlvamjlvakamithunaya  (marlci3)- 
pallavam.  pallavike  pallavaya  karpuradhulibhih  krtrimaketakT- 
kananam.  sahakaramamjari  (sammarjaya  srambdakabimdun)  sa- 
hakara(saurabha)vyajanavatena.  madanalekhe  (vi)likha  madana- 
lekham  malayanilasya.  [233]  (makarike  makaramkasobhite)  dehi 
mrnajamkuram  rajaharnsa(sabebhyah).  vilasavati  vilasaya  (90) 
mayura(kis5rakam).  tamalike  (lepaya)  malayajarasena  bhavana- 
vatam.  kamcanike  vikira  (kasturika4)dravam  kamcanamamdapi- 
kayam.  pravalike  secaya  (ghu)srnarasena  [balajpravalakananam. 
ity  anyonyam  pranayapesalah  pramada(jananam)  alapakathas 
srnvan  kamdarpaketuh  makararndena  (samam  tad  bhavanam5 6) 
[manasy  aho  bhavananam  atisayi  saundaryam  aho  srngarakalake- 
likausalam  tathahy  ayam  tatkalalllabahalaviralavimala[234]mala- 
vldasanakantikantidantidantaghatito  mandapb  ’sav  api  kanakasa- 
lakavinirmitayantrapanjarasamyatah  krldasuka  ityadi  paricinta- 
yan]  pravisya  vyakaranene  ’va  saraktapadena  (maha)bharatene  ’va 
suparvana  ramayanene  ’va  sumdarakamdacaruna  [235]  jamghayu- 
gajena  virajamanam  camdbvicitim  iva  bhrajamanatanumadhyam 
naksatravidyam  iva  gananlyahastasravanam  n)'aya(vidyam)  ivo 
’ddybtakarasvarupam  (satkavikavyaracanam)  iva  ’lamkara(prasa- 
(9i)dhitamG)  upanisa[236]dam  iva  (sanamdam  raviprabham  iva 
ldkam)  uddyotayamtlm  dvijakulasthitim  iva  carucaranam  vim- 
dhyagirisriyam  iva  sunitambarn  (rohinlm)  iva  gurukalatratayo  ’pa- 
sobhitam  satakoti(murtim7)  iva  mustigrahya[tanu8]madhyam  pri- 
yamgusyaniasakhlm  iva  priyadarsanam  brahmadattamahislm  iva 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  G.  2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H. 

3 So  also  the  commentator  Narasimha ; Trickinopoly  ed.  and  Hall’s  manuscripts 

C,  D,  F,  G,  H have  marlca. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  F,  G,  H. 

6 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  D also  have  tad  bhavanam. 

6 Cf.  p rasadhikam  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  A. 

8 Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E also  omit  tanu. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


i8j 

somaprabham  [237]  diggajakarenukam  iva  ’nupamam  (revam)  iva 
(sarmadam)  tamalapatraprasadhitam  (ca)  asvatarakanyam  iva  ma- 
dalasam  vasavadattam  dadarsa.  atha  tam  [prltijvispharitena 
caksusa  pibatah  (92)  karndarpaketoh  jahara  cetanam  murcha[ve- 
gah].  tam  (anu)  vasavadatta  mumurcha.  atha  makaramdasa- 
khljana(prayatnat)  labdhasamjnav  (etav)  ekasanam  alamcakratuh. 

[238]  (atha1)  vasavadattayah  pranebhyo  ’pi  garlyasl  (sakhl2)  kala- 
vatl  nama  kamdarpaketum  uvaca.  aryaputra  na  ’yam  visrambha- 
(kathanam3)  avasarah  (ato4)  laghutaram  eva  (’bhidhlyate5).  tva- 
tkrte  ya  ’naya  (yatana)  ’nubhuta  sa  yadi  nabhah  patrayate  sagaro 

[239]  (melamamdayate)  brahma[yate]  (lipikarayate  bhujamgapa- 
tir 6 va  kathakayate  tatha)  ’py  anekair  yugasahasrair  abhilikhyate 
(va  na)  va.  tvaya  (ca)  rajyam  ujjhitam.  kim  bahuna  ’tma  (’syas) 
samkate  samaropitah  [eva7].  (yai)  ’sa  ’smatsvamiduhita  [pitra] 
(prabhatayam8  [240]  sarvaryam  pitra)  yauvanati(krama9)samkina 
hathena  vidyadharacakravartino  vijayaketbh  putraya  puspaketave 
pani(grahanaya)  datavye  ”ti  (niscita10).  anaya  (ca  ’smabhis  saha 
sammamtrya)  ’’locitam  adya  yadi  tam  janam  adaya  (na  ’’gacchati 
tamalika)  tada  ’vasyam  eva  (’’srayasa  asrayitavya)  iti.  [tad  asyah 
sukrtavasena  mahabhage  ’mam  bhumim  anupraptah.]  tad  atra 
yat  sampratam  tatra  bhavan  eva  pramanam  ity  uktva  virarama. 
atha  kamdarpaketur  (api)  bhitabhlta  iva  (pranayai:1)namd(amrta12)- 
sagaralaharibhir  apluta  iva  [bhuvanatrayarajyabhisikta  iva]  vasa- 
va[24i]dattaya  saha  sammamtrya  makaramdam  (93)  vartanvesa- 
naya  tatrai  ”va  nagare  niyujya  (bhujagene13)  ’va  sadagatyabhimu- 
khena  (saritpulinene  ’va  suktisobhitena  vimdhyavipinene  ’va  srl- 
vrksalamchitena  hamsene  ’va  manasagatina  vanaspatine  ”va  ska- 
mdhasbbhitena  vajrene ’ve  ’mdrayudhena14)  manojavanamna  tura- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B. 

s So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  H. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  F.  6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  F. 

6 Cf.  bhujagapatir  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G. 

7 Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H also  omit  eva. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

9 Cf.  kramadosa  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H.  10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

11  Cf.  sapratiayama  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G. 

13  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

14  Cf.  mahodadhipulinene'va  suktttebhitena  vindhyavipinene  'va  irivrksalahksit&ia 


182 


VASAVADATTA 


gena  taya  (vasavadattaya)  saha  (puran  niragat1.  tatah2)  krame- 
na  [ca]  (gavyutimatram  adhvanam  gatva  nara3)jamgalakabalan- 
(artham)  militanissamkakamkaku[242]lasamkulena  ardhadagdha- 
citacakrasimasimayamana(vasavisra)vikatakatatrsnacatulakatapu- 
tanottala(talu)ravabh!sanena  sulasikharardpitasamkita[varna]ka- 
rna(nasa)ccheda(patita4)rudhirapatala(patanatamkaritakarak5tika- 
rparakaralakdnapanrttatumulena  bambharalikelisambhara)bharita- 
bhumibhaga(bhibhatsena)  katagnidahyamana(catula5catatkara)- 
[243]nr(kar6ti)tamkara(bhairavena  vivrtolkamukhamukhojjvalita- 
jvalanajvalajatilena  amtratamtukalilakapalapralamba(94)damara- 
dhakinlganakrtakunapavibhagakolahalena  ardrasiraracitavivaha- 
mamgalapratisarapisacamithunapradaksinlknyaman  ac  i t a g n i na 8) 
sulapanine  ’va  kapalavali[bhasma]siva(bahubhuti)bhujaga(raja)va- 
ruddhadehena  purusatisayene  ’va  ’nekamamdalakrtasevena  (da- 
mdakaranyene  ’va  kabamdhadhisthitena  cakravartine  ’va  ’neka- 
naremdraparivrtena  tridivene  ’va  samcaradbalarina)  smasanavatena 
(nirgatya  nimisa)matrad  eva  ’nekasatayojanam  (adhvanam  gatva 
punar  api)  pralayakalavelam  iva  samuditarkasamuham  naga[244]- 
(rajya7)sthitim  iva  ’namtamulam  sudharmam  iva  svacchamdasthi- 
ta(95)kausikam  satpurusasevam8  iva  [bahu'J]siiphaladhyam  bha- 
ratasamarabhumim  iva  duraprarudharjunam  pulomakulasthitim  iva 
sahasranetr5cit(emdianlm  sura)pala[citta10]vrttim  iva  (darsita11)- 
ganikarikam  sajja[245]nasampadam  iva  vikasitasokasaralapunna- 


vaitDiahamsenc  'va  mdtiasagatina  'ranyene  ’ va  gandakaiobhilcna  vajrbfi  'vc 
'ndrayudhena  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

1 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Narasimha  also  have 
niragat. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

3 Hall’s  manuscript  D also  has  nara  ; cf.  nava  in  the  commentator  Narasimha. 

4 Cf.  chedagala  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  G. 

6 Cf.  vivrtdlkdmiikhamukhdjjvalajjvalanajvdldjalajatilena  "ntrataniraprotakalila- 
kapdlakutapralambiprdlambidamaraddkiniganakrtarupavibhdgakdldhalend  "rdrasard- 
citavivahamandalapratisarapiidcamithunapradaksinikriyamdnacitdcakrdnalena  in 
Hall’s  manuscript  D ; Srirangam  text  and  Trichinopoly  ed.  also  have  dakini  and 
kriyamana. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  8 Grantha  ed.,  sivanam. 

* Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentators  Narasimha  and 
Jagaddhara  also  omit  bahu. 

10  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  F,  G,  H also  omit  citta. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


183 

gam  £isujanalllam  iva  krtadhatrldhrtim  kvacid  raghavacittavrttim 
iva  vaidehl(mayam)  [246]  kvacit  ksirasamudramathanavelam  iv5 
’jjrrnbhamanamrtam  kvacin  narayana^urtim1)  iva  svaccham(96)- 
daparajitarn  kvacid  valmlkisarasvatlm  iva  dar&teksvakuvam^am 
(kvacil)  lamkam  iva  bahupalasasevitam2  (kvacid  dhartarastra)se- 
nam  iva  ’rjunasaranikaraparivaritam  (kvacin)  narayanamurtim  iva 
bahuruparn  [247]  (kvacit)  sugrlvasenam  iva  panasa(nala)kumudase- 
vitam  (kvacid)  avidhavam  iva  simduratilakabhusitam  pravalabha- 
ranam  ca  (kvacit)  kurusenam3  iv5  ’lukadro[248]nasakunisanatham 
dhartarastr(amcitarn)  ca  amla(97)najati(vi)bhusitam  api  (viruddha4)- 
vara^am  dar&tabhayam  api  vibhlsanam  satatahitapathyam  api 
[249]  pravrddhagulmam  satpadavya(ptam)  api  dvipadanakulam  dvi- 
jakulabhusitam  api  (na)kullnavamsam  vimdhyatavim  (pra5)vivesa. 
(atramtare6)  taydr  nidram  adaya  (nisa7  ’jagama.  tatah)  kramena 
ca  kala(kaivartakena)  tamisra(navam)  praksipya  gaganamahasara- 
(98)si  sajTva[25o](^aphara)nikara  iva  [apa8 *]hriyamane  taragane 
(samdhya)raktamsuk[apat]e  visamaprarudhabisalatasara(yamtra)- 
nugata^atapatrapustakasanathe  makaramdabimdusamdohani- 
rbharapanamattamadhukara[sandramandra](mamjuravaih)  sva- 
dharmam  iva  pathati  vikacakamalakarabhiksau  krsivalene  ’va  ka- 
lena  timirablja(nikaresv)  iva  madhukaresu  [kumudaksetresu]  ma- 
dhurasakardamitaparagapamkesu  ghanaghatamanadala(putesu® 
kumudakaraksetresu)  [bhramaresu  vyajat  [251]  paiikajesu]  ’pyama- 
nesu  raj6murmurasanathamadhukarapatala(dhuma1(1)nugatodda- 
mdapumdarlkavyajad  dhupa[patala]m  iva  bhagavate  kiranamaline 
prayacchamtyam  kamalin^tapasyam11)  rajanlvadhukara[tala12]- 
dvayocchalitapatatprabhatamusalahatiksatamtare  ulukhala  iva  ca- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  E. 

2 Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  kvacil  . . . °scvitdm. 

* Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  iva  panasa°  . . . kttrusendm. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara 
and  Narasimha. 

B So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentators 
Jagaddhara  and  Narasimha. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D.  8 Hall’s  manuscript  C also  omits  apa. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C.  10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  A. 

11  Cf.  kamalinitapasvinyam  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  F. 

12  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H also  omit  tala. 


[84 


vasavadattA 


rndra(mamdale)  khamdana^i^klrnesu  [iva]  tamdulesv  (iva)  taia- 
ganesu  (niI 2)mllatsu  samdhyatamramukhena  [iva]  vasaravanarena 
nabhastarum  (aruhya)  sakhabhya  iva  kampita(99)bhyd  digbhyo 
vikacaprasuna(nikara3)  iva  taragane  (phala  ive  ’mdumamdale4 *) 
[ca  ni]pata[a52]ti  tara[ganasali]tamdula6(sabalita)nabho  ’rnganam 
sphuradaruna(kirana)cuda(cakra)caruvadane  vasarakrkavakau  ca- 
ritum  avatarati  mat(samgamad6)  atipravrddho  varunl(samgamad) 
dvijapatir  esa  (patatl)  ’ti  hasanntyam  iva  ’’khamdal(asayam)  aru- 
nakesari(kharanakharapata)nihatamdhakarakarlmdrarudhiradhara- 
bhir  ivo  ’dayagirisikhara(gairika)nirjhara[dhautadhatu]dharabhir 
iva  (tvamgat)turarngakharakhuraputapatitapadmaragacchatabhir 
iva  [2 53]  [kesarikaratalahatamattamatangbttamangasangaladasra- 
prasarinlbhir  iva]  udayacalakutakotipramdhajapakusumakamti- 
bhir  iva  (puivagiri7kesaricaranatalahatamattamatamgottamarnga- 
viga]adasrgdharasarinlbhir  iva)  tribhuvanakarya(sampadana8tura)- 
ragarasair  iva  raktamamdale  tarakumuda(vana9)grahanaya  prasa- 
ritahasta  iva  kumkum(arunaih  kiranaih  kanakadarpana10  iva)  pra- 
civilasinyah  purvacalabhoglmdraphanopale  gaganerndranllataru- 
[kanaka][254]kisalaye  nabhonagara(pragdvara)kanaka(puina)ku- 
mbhe  taptalbhakumbhakare  pracl(kumarlll)lalatatata(ghatitaku- 
mkuma12tilaka)bimdau  samdhya(bala13)lataikakusu(ioo)me  mamji- 
stha[rakta]pattasutra(pimda)sadrse  samdhy(arunasutragrathita)- 
pracl(vadhu14kamcl)kamcanadlnaracakra  iva  (kumara  iva  samhrta- 
tarake  padmanabha  ivb  ’llasat15padme  adhvaga  iva  cchayapriye 
sakra  iva  gopatau  udayagiri)dhaturagarunadiggajapadatalanukarini 

I So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  E.  2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

3 Cf.  nicaya  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

* So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

3 Cf.  tdraganataiidula  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

* So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

8 Cf.  sampadanaprabhd  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

10  Hall’s  manuscript  D also  has  kanakadarpane. 

II  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  A. 

12  Cf.  taiakunkumambubinddu  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,F,  G. 

13  Cf.  sandhyapravalalatd  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  H. 

H Cf.  iaclvadh ukdilcana  in  Hall’s  manuscript  A. 

16  Tel.  ed.  61,  Grantha  ed.,  and  Srirargam  text,  ’ l/asila . 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


185 


(prabhuta)timirataskare  (sam)udayam  arohati  (bhagavati  bhasvati) 
mamjistha^ikara1)  iva  diggajesu  mahabharata[samarabhumi]ru- 
dhirodgara  iva  kuruksetresu  [255]  sura(dhanuh)kamti(vi)lepa  iva 
jalada(cchadesu)  kasayapata  iva  sakyasrama(sakhasu)  kausumbha- 
raga  iva  dhvajapatapallavesu  phalapaka  iva  karkamdhusu  kumku- 
ma[cchata]rasa  iva  vy5mamahasaudh(amgane2)  samcaradaruna- 
(yavanika)pata  iva  kala(mahanatasya3)  [bala4]pravala(bhaga)rune 
prasarati  balatape  ksanena  [ca]  catucatulacakravakahrdaya(k5sa)- 
samtapaharanad  iva  dahana(pratapa)pravesad  iva  dinanathaka- 
mt5pal[anal]asamgad  ivo  ’snimanam  usnarasmer  asrayati  rasmi- 
samcaye  kamdarpaketus  sarvaratrajagarana(vasad)  aharasunya- 
(paravasa)sarlrataya  niscetanb  ’nekayojanasa[2 56]t(adhva)bhrama- 
nakhinno  vasavadattaya  ’py  evamvidhaya  saha  lata(grahe)  mam- 
damarutamdSlitakusumaparima  (1 01 ) lalubdhamugdha(m  ukhara)- 
paribhramatbhramarajhamkaramanohare  tatkala(sulabhaya5)  ni- 
draya  grhlto  nispamdakaranagramas  susvapa.  tato  vanijl  ’va  pra- 
saritambare  mahadavanala  iva  sakalakasthoddlpini  (kalpavrksa  iva 
sarvasaprasadhake)  patamgamamdale  (madhyamnabhassthalasya6) 
’rudhe  [katham  api]  kamdarpaketuh  (prabuddhah7)  priyaya  vina- 
krtam  lata(graham)  avalbkya  (co)  ’tthaya  [257]  [ca]  tata  ito  datta- 
drstih  ksanam  (vitapisu)  ksanam  latamtaresu  ksanam  [tarusikharesu 
ksanam]  (adhah)kupesu  ksanam  (urdhvatarusikharesu)  ksanam  su- 
skaparnarasisu  ksanam  akasa(talesu)  ksanam  diksu  (ksanam  8)  vidi- 
ksuca  bhramann  anavarata[virahanala9]dahyamanahrdayo  vilalapa. 
(ha)  priye  vasavadatte  dehi  me  darsanam  [258]  (krtam)  parihasena 
amtarhita  ’si  tvatkrte  yani  [maya]  duhkhany  anubhutani  tesam 
tvam  eva  pramanam.  ha  priya(sakha10)  makaramda  pasye  (’dam) 
daivadurvilasitam  kim  (purvam  maya  krtam  anavadatam)  karma, 
aho  (vipako  niyateh)  ah5  duratikrama  kalagatih  ahd  grahanam 

1 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.  omit  nikara. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  B. 

3 Cf.  kalanatakasya  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

4 Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  H also  omit  bala. 

6  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E. 

6 Cf.  nabhomadhyarn  in  Hall’s  manuscript  E. 

7 Cf. praptabodhah  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  H. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  B. 

9 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  E,  F,  G,  H also  omit  virahanala. 

10  So  also  Hall's  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G. 


i86 


vAsavadatta 


atikatu  kataksafpatanam1)  aho  visa(drsata)  gurujana^isam  aho 
dussvapnanam  durnimittanam  ca  (phalam)  sarvatha  na  (kascid2) 
agdcaro  [259]  (bhavitavyanam).  kim  na  samyag  agamita  (vidya) 
kirn  [na]  yathavad  (anaradhita)  guravah  kin  n5  ’pasita  vahnayah 
[kim  adhiksipta  bhudevah3]  kin  na  pradaksinlkrtas  surabhayah 
kin  na  krtam  [260]  (saranyesv)  abhayam.  (102)  iti  bahuvidham 
vilapan  (maranecchuh4)  daksinena  kananam  nirgatya  navya(nala)- 
naladanajinlnicula[picula](vidaja)vakula(ciribilvabahulena5  pracura- 
viracitavividho)tajakutajaruddhopakamthena  sotkamthabhrmga- 
[26  i]raja  [rasitasundara]  sumdari  (krtasvada)  vitata  (cutavratati)  vra- 
tavarana[taruna]varuna6  (taru)skamdhasannaddhabhrmga(golena) 
golamgulabhagnagalanmadhu  [ccha  [262]tramadhu]  patalarasasara- 
(slkara)siktatarutalena  (pravrddha7narike]akamkelirajatalltalata- 
mala8)himtalapunnagakesara(nagakesaraghanasarena)  mallika(ke- 
taki)k6vidar(aikaparnajambu)bl[263]japurajamblra[jambu]gulma- 
gahanena  (pavanasamvahitanekapanasavitapivitapena)  [apratyu- 
ha]datyuha(kuhakuhaiava)bharitanadl(tatanikumjapumjena)  pu- 
mjit(5t)kamthakalakam(i03)thadhyasit[oddam]  asahakarapallave- 
na  [capalakulaya]kukkutakutumbasam(vasito)tkat(aneka)vitapena 
korakanikurumbaromamcitakuravakarajina  raktasokapallavalava- 
nya(vijlipyamanadasadisa  pravikasitakesara(kusuma9)rajovisara- 
(dhusaritaparisarena)  paraga(purnja)pimjara(simduvara10 11rajyama- 
na)madhukaramamjusimjitajanitajanamuda  (lavamgacampakama- 
dhukakrtainalaulodhiakarnikarakadambakadambakena)  madajala- 
mecakita(gamdakasa)mucukumda[ska[264]ndha]kamda(kathya- 
mana12)nissamkakarikata13[vikata]karpdutina  katipayadivasaprasu- 

1 Cf.  patanam  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  E,  G,  H. 

3 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H also  omit  kim  adhiksipta  bh udevah . 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

8  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  G also  have  bahulena. 

8 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  varuna. 

7 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.  omit  pravrddha. 

8 Cf.  narikelakarakelirajatalitdla  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

9 Cf.  pravikasitakusumakesara  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  A. 

11  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  madhiikatamala. 

12  Cf.  mathyamana  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  F. 

13  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  ni'siamkakarata. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


187 


takukkut^kutl^krtafkutajajkdtarena  catakasamcaryamanacatula- 
vacatacatakairakriyamanacatuna  sahacarl(sahacaranacumcura)ca- 
kora(camcuna)  saileya(sugamdhi)silatalasu[265]khasayita(sasasisu- 
rasina)  sephalikasiphavivaravisrabdhavartamana(gaudheya)rasina 
niratamkaramku(nikarena)  nirakulanakula[kula]kelina  kalakokila- 
kulakabalita(cuta)kalikodgamena  sahakaraiamaromamthayamana- 
(camara)yuthena  sravanaharisa(nlda2)girinitambanirjharaninada- 
(sravan5tsukanidranamda3)mamdayamanakarikulakarnataladurn- 
dubhi(dhvanina)  samasannakinnarlgita(sravanaramamana)ruruvi- 
sarena  [266]  (kuhaii(i04)ta)haridradravarajyamanavarahapotap5- 
trapaHna  gumja(kumja4pumjaguhijahakajatena5  darnsa)damsana- 
kupita  (kapi 6)  pota  ( petacapetaka  7)  patita  ( patallputakltasamghen  a ) 
kulisasikharakharanakharapracayapracamdacapet  (a)patitam  a 1 1 a - 
matamga  (mada)cchatacchuritacarukesara(bhara)bhasurakesarika- 
dambena  mahasagarakacchdpamtena  katipayaduram  (adhvanam8) 
gatva  aticapala(varipracayaprahataprapatataya)  tamda[26/]v5- 
ddamda(d5ssamda9)khamdaparasuvidambanapamditam  varunl10- 
vijayapatakabhir  iva  sesakulanirm6ka[manju]mamjaiibhir  iva  (su- 
dhasahacarlbhir  iva  jyotsnasahddaribhir  iva)  sasamka(mamdala)- 
paramanu(samtatlbhir)  iva  laksmllila(darpanadharinlbhir)  iva  jala- 
devata(kucau)camdana(dharatarpana)vicchittibhir  iva  phenaraji- 
bhir  upamta(ramanlyam)  aparam  iva  gagana(talam)  avan(Italam) 
avatirnam  [arnava](acchajala)ducchalacchlkara(nikarena)  nabha- 
^caran  muktaphalair  iva  vilobhayamtam  abhayabhyarthanagata- 
neka(paksati)ksitidharabharitakuksibhagam  sagarasuta(visarasa- 
mud)khatam  (varijatamukhodbhasitaparijatam)  abhijatamanira- 
tnakaram  kari(io5)makara[ku[268]la]samkulam  (sakuni)kulakaba- 

I So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  C,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

a So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D. 

3 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G also  have  nidrananda. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G,  H ; cf.  gunjapunjakuitja  in  Hall’s 
manuscript  D. 

® Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  E,  F also  have  jahakajatena. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D. 

7 Hall’s  manuscript  D also  has  capetaka. 

8 Cf.  katipayddhvanam  in  Hall’s  manuscript  E. 

• Cf.  ddhkhan4a  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  D,  E,  F. 

10  Srirangam  text  and  Trichinopoly  ed.,  varutta. 

II  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  F. 


i88 


vAsavadattA 


lanabhilasasamcarannakracakram  (stimitatimi)timimgilakulam  (ka- 
dallvanavata)vilulit(aila)lavalllavamga(matulumga1)gulma(gaha- 
nam)  urmimaruta(marmaritataralataro)ttala(tali2vanacarita3)jala- 
manusamithunamrdita[salila]pulinabalasaivalam  pravajarnkurako- 
tipatitamukhakhinnasamkhanakha(mukharakharasikharavi)likhi- 
tatata(rekham)  khagesvaragotrapatrarathapatalakalilasalilam  adya 
’py  anirmuktamamdaramathanasamskaram  iva  ’’vartabhramtibhih 
sapa[269]smaram  iva  (sitaphenasamcayaih)  sasura(gamdham)  ivai 
(’’laparimalaih  saghdsam)  iva  garjitaih  sakhedam  iva  (naganisva- 
saih)  sabhru(bhamgam4)  iva  taramgaih  salanastambham  iva  rama- 
setuna  kumbhlnaslkuksim  iva  lavandtpattisthanam  vyakaranam 
iva  [vitata5]strlnadlkrtyabahulam  rajakulam  iva  drsyamanama- 
hapatram  hastibarndham  iva  varigatanekana[27o]ga(io6)mucya- 
mana(sut)karam  visvamitraputravargam  iva  ambhoja(caru)ma- 
tsydpa^obhitam  satpurusam  iva  gotr(atisayam)  sadhum  iva  ’cyu- 
tasthitiramanlyam  sunr(patim6 7)  iva  sajjanakramakaram  krtama- 
nyum  iva  karat5yapluta[27i]mukham  virahinam  iva  camdanoda- 
kasiktam  vilasinam  iva  narmadanugatam  (rasim  iva  samlnakull- 
ram  srmgarinam  iva  ’nekamuktalamkrtam)  uddhrtakalakutam  api 
p.akatitavisarasim  ativrddham  api  sumdarl[pari]vrt(5p  )akamtham 
(107)  surotpattisthanam  apy  asuradhisthitam  jala[272][ni]dhim 
apasyat.  acimtayac  ca  ah5  me  krtapakarena  ’pi  vidhina  upakrtir 
eva  krta  yad  ayam  locanagdcaratam  (gatas)  samudrah  tad  atra 
deham  (tyajami)  [priyavirahagnim  nirvapayami].  yad y apy  ana- 
turasya  (”tma8)tyago  na  vihitah  tatha  ’pi  (khalu  nah  karyam)  na 
[khalu]  sarvas  (sarvarn9)  karyam  (eva)  karoty  [ity1"]  asare  sam- 
sare.  kena  kin  [273]  (nama11)  na  krtam.  tathahi  gurudara(hara- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

2 Srirangam  text  and  Trichinopoly  ed.,  tali. 

3 Hall’s  manuscript  D also  has  carita. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  D,  E. 

8 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  F,  G,  H also  omit  vitata. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  E,  F,  G. 

7 Cf . parivrtopakcutiham  in  Tel.  ed.  61,  Grantha  ed.,  and  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  E. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D. 

10  Trichinopoly  ed.,  iha. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  H. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


189 


nam1)  dvijarajo  ’karot.  pururava  brahmanadhanatrsnaya  vina- 
nasa.  nahusas  (sakra)kalatra(ddhaji  bhujamgatam  ayasit).  ya- 
yatih  (krtapur5hitasuta)panigrahanah  [274]  papata.  sudyumnah 
strlmaya  (eva)  ’bhavat.  sbmakasya  prakhyata  (jagati2)  jamtuva- 
dhanirghrnata.  purukutsah  kutsita  (eva  ’bhavat).  kuvalayasvo 
’sva[275]tarakannyam  api  (jagama).  nrgah  krkalasatam  agamat. 
(nalah  kalina  ’bhibhutah.)  samvaranb  mitraduhitari  viklabatam 
(agamat).  [276]  dasarathah  (abhl)staram5nmadena  mrtyum  ava- 
pa.  kartavlryo  [gojbrahmanapldaya  pamcatvam  ayasit.  [yudhi- 
sthirah  samarasirasi  satyam  utsasarja.]  (samtanur3)  ativyasanat 
(vane4)  vilalapa.  (tad)  ittham  na  ’sty  (eva  jagaty)  akajamkah  k5 
’pi.  tad  aham  api  deham  (utsr(io8)jamI)  ’ty  (evam)  vi[277]cim- 
tya  kurara[khara]nakharasikharakhamdita(prthula5)prthuroma- 
[bilamaviralasakulakula]salka(samkulam6  samkalita)jalanakula(ku- 
lb7)ccara(saram)  krostukuldtsrstavikatakarkatakarparaparampara- 
parigata(pramtam8  atitarala)jalarayalulitacatulasapharakulakaba- 
lanakr  tamatinibhrtabakasakuninivaha  (bahu)d  havalitaparisaram 
aticapalaj  alakapikulaviharana(tulira9)salilakana[2  7 8]nikara  ( parimi- 
lanasisiritatamalatalam  anudina)nipatadatitaruna[vana]mahisaga- 
valasikhara(vi)likhitavisamatatam  anavaratacaradasitamukhacara- 
navihaga(vara)nivaha(madhukara)ninada(mukharita)himakara(ki- 
rananikara)[279]rucirajalamanuja(gana)sayanamrdita(tatadharanl)- 
talam  ati(bahula)mada[jala]sabala(kata10 11)tatakari[vara]satanipatita- 
madhukara(nikaramn)  atijavanapavanavidhutajala(vighatana)nipa- 
tita(phani)ganaparigataparisaram  jalanidhi(jalagata)bhujaganirmu- 
ktanirmbkapattam  [iva]  darpanam  iva  vasumdharayah  sphatikaku- 
ttimam  iva  varunasya  (kamalavanam  iva  sapadmaragam  vanapra- 

1 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts,  A,  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  F,  H. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  F,  H.  5 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  D. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H,  and  the  commentators  Jagaddhara 

and  Narasimha. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator 
Narasimha. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H. 

9 Tel.  ed.  61,  Grantha  ed.,  Trichinopoly  ed.,  and  Srirangam  text,  tulita. 

10  This  reading  is  also  recorded  by  Sivarama,  ad  loc. 

11  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  F. 


190 


vAsavadattA 


desam  iva  savidrumalatam  kataram1  iva  sadaram  visnum  iva  5ne- 
kamuktopetam)  pulina(talam)  asasada.  tatah  krtasnanadi(sakala- 
krtyo  jalanidhi)jalam  avataritum  arebhe  sariratyagaya.  atha  sa- 
nugrahesu  grahesu  nirmatsare(i09)su  matsyesu  aksudresu  ksudr(a- 
mdesu  anicchesu)  [280]  kacchapesu  akruresu  nakresu  abhayam- 
karesu  makaresu  amaresu  (simsumaresu  akasat2)  sarasvatl  samu- 
dacarat.  arya  kamdarpaketb  punar  api  tava  (priyasamagamo) 
bhavisyaty  acirena  tad  virama  maranavyavasayad  iti.  (s5  ’pi)  tad 
upasrutya  maran(arambhad)  virarama3.  [punah  priyaya  sama- 
gamecchaya  sarlrasthitihetum  aharam  ciklrsur  mahasagarakacchd- 
pantabhuvam  jagama.]  atha  tata  itah  paribhraman  phalamula- 
dina  vane  (vartayan4)  [kiyantam]  kalam  (anekarn)  ninaya  [ka- 
ndarpaketuh].  ekada  (tu5)  katipaya(divasa6)pagame  kakallga- 
yana  ivb  [281]  (’pasamrddha7)nimnaganadah  (sayamtana)samaya 
iva  nartitanllakamthah  kumaramayura  iva  (samarudha)sarajanma 
[maha]tapasvl  ’va  prasamitarajah  prasarahtapasa  iva  dhrtajalada- 
karakah  pralayakala  iva  darsitanekataranivibhramah  nirupa(dra- 
va)kanana(pra8)desa  iva  ghan5t(se[282]kita)sararngah  revatlkara- 
pallava  iva  halidhr(no)tikarah  (lamkesvara  iva  sameghanadah 
vimdhya  iva  ghanasyamah9  sam)ajagama  varsasamayah.  (vi)- 
bhinna[megha]nllotpalakanana(mle)  kridasarasl  ’va  nabhasi  sma- 
rasya  (kanaka)ratna(naur)  iva  jalada(kala)laksmlmatamgakanya- 
nartanarajju[283]r  iva  nabhassaudhatorana(ratna)malike  ’va  pra- 
vasata  nidagha(kalakamtena  dyustrljpayodhare  datt[a  smara- 
nay10](anakhapad)avalir  iva  gaganalaksml(bamdhura)ra^anamale 
’va  nabh5mamdara[tarun]sumdarakalik[amal]e  ’va  ratinakhamarja- 
naratna(sila)ialake  ’va  ratna(saktir)  iva12  (vilasayastir  iva)  kusu- 

I Trichinopoly  ed.,  kantaram.  2 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  F,  H. 

3 Cf.  virarama  maranarambhat  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E. 

4 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  F,  H. 

6  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  H. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  F,  H. 

7 Cf.  samrdJha  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  Trichinopoly  ed.,  and 
Srirangam  text. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  F,  G. 

9 Cf.  rdva/ui  iva  sameghanadd  vindhyagirir  iva  saghana  in  Hall's  manuscript  C. 

10  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F also  omit  smaraiidya. 

II  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  G,  H also  omit  taru. 

12  Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  ratr.asaktir  iva. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


191 

ma1ketor  imdradhanurlata  raraja.  ati(trsna)vega[ni]p!tajala(ni)- 
dhijalasamkhamalam  [iva]  ba[2<S4]lakacchalad  udvamann  (iva) 
adrsyata  jala(dharanikarah).  pitaharitaih  (krsnakedarikagosthlsu) 
samutpatadbhih  (jatusa2dur5darair)  iva  dardura(sisukair)  naya- 
dyutair  iva  cikiida  (vidyuta  samam3  ghanakalakamtah).  ravidl- 
pa(kajjalitamegha)nikasopale  [iva]  meghasamaya(svarna)kara- 
(gharsitasvarnarekhe)  ’va  (tatid)  asobhata.  virahinam  hrdayarn 
(vidaritum)  [285]  karapatram  iva  (krtam)  kusumayudhasya  (kru- 
(m)ra4kaitaka)cchadam  (abhasata).  [jaladadaruni  lolatadillata- 
karapatradarite  pavanaveganirdhutas  curnacaya  iva  jalarenavo 
babhuh.]  vicchinnadigvadhuharamukta(nikara)  iva  kharapavana- 
vega(bhramitaj  ghana(ghata)ghattanasamcurnitataranikara  iva  tri- 
bhuvanavijiglsor  makaradhvajasya  prasthanalajamjalaya  iva  ka- 
raka  vyarajamta.  (navasadvalam  semdrakopamahlmahilaya  la- 
ksarasamkitam  stanottarlyam  iva  ’laksyata.  meghakumbhasali- 
laih  prthivlnayikam  snapayitva  pravrtcetikayam  gatayam  svac- 
cham  ambaram  darsayamtl  saraccetika  samajagama5.)  anamta- 
ram  (sukhamjane)  nirbhara[286](bhara6 7 8)dvajadvijavacata(vitapi)- 
vitape  (patutaraprabhaprabhato  ’d)bhramtasukakulakalama(keda- 
ra)pravesit(avesa)rajahamse  kamsaratidehadyutidyutale  hamsa- 
(kula’)tulita(rajajs)jalamuci  samdrlkrt(emdumahasi)  kamuka(jana- 
[287]mudita)[madhura]madhutrnavirudhi  (sarasa9)sarasarasitasa- 
rakasare  [s5bhana10]kaserukamdalubdhapotripotrod(ghatasarasa- 
tatabhaga)cakitacatake  [sancaranmatsyaputrikapatripatalamadhu- 
radhvanivihitamudi  kadarthitakadambe  kambudvisi  prasrtabisa- 


1 Trichinopoly  ed.,  makara. 

2 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  F,  H,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara  also  have 
jalusa ; cf.  the  reading  jaiusair  recorded  by  isivarama,  ad  loc. 

3 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  E,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

4 Trichinopoly  ed.,  kruram. 

5 Cf.  navasadvalam  sendragopam  mahtmahildydh  iukalyamalam  laksarasaldiuhi- 
tastanottarlyam  iva  ’ laksyata . meghakummasalilaih  prthivinayikain  snapayitva 
prdvrtcestdiigatdydm  tatah  svaccham  ambaram  darsayanti  sarannadt  samajagama  in 
Hall’s  manuscript  C ; Trichinopoly  ed.  also  has  sadvalam  and  kdpam. 

6 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  F. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts,  A,  B,  D,  H. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

10  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  C,  D,  E.  F,  H also  omit  lobhana. 


192 


VASAVADATTA 


prasune]  viratavaride  [288]  tarataratarake  (varunltilaka)camdra- 
masi  (svadurasavile)  sphuritaxsaphara[cakra]kabalananibhrta(na- 
rukabakalike)  mukamamdukamamdale  samkocitakamcukini  ka- 
mcanacchedagaura(gddhumaka)salisalini  (ut)krdsa(i  i2)dutkrose 
surabhi[gandhi1 2]  saugamdhikagamdha(hariniharinasvadaradalita)- 
kumudamodini  [kaumudikrtamudi  nirbarhabarhini  nihkujatkoya- 
stike  dhrtadhartarastre  hrstakalamagdpikagltasukhitamrgayu- 
the  kathlkrtayuthike  mlayamanamalatlmukule  bandhukaban- 
dhave  sanjatasujatake  visutritasautramadhanusi  smerakasmlrara- 
jah[289]punjapinjaritadasadisi  vikasvarakamale]  saratsamayara- 
mbhe  (vijrmbhamane)  kamdarpaketus  (tata  itah)  paribhraman 
(kamcic  chilamaya)putrikam  drstva  [kautukena  mohena  sokave- 
gena  mama  priyanukarinl  ’ti]  karena  pasparsa.  atha  sa  (drsta)- 
matrai  (’va)  sila[sva]bhavam  utsrjya  [punar3]  vasavadattasvaru- 
pam  (pra)pede.  tarn  (ava)lokya  kamdarpaketuh  [amrtarnava- 
magna  iva]  su(drdham)  alimgya  (priye  vasavadatte  kim  etad  iti) 
papraccha.  (sa  pratyuvaca.)  aiyaputra  apunyaya  (mamdabha- 
gyaya  mama)  krte  mahabhago  [290]  (bhavan  utsrsta)rajya  ekakl 
(paribhraman)jana4  iva  (avanmanasa)gocaram  duhkham  anuba- 
bhuva.  [atha5]  upavasadina  (trsature  bhavati  nidrasamte6  pra- 
thamaprabuddha  ’ham  bhavatah  phalamuladikam7  aharisyami) 
’ti  vicimtya  phal(ady)anvesanaya  (vane  nalvamatram)  agaccham. 
(atha)  ksanena  [ca]  tarugulm(amtaritam)  [kriyamanakayamanika- 
niketanam  viracya[29i]manesvaragrham  avataryamanakanthara- 
kam  arabhyamanapatakutlkam  vyavasthapyamanavesyanivesam 
sruyamanaturagahresasatam  vadyamanavisramadhakkasatapuska- 
ram  anvisyamanasvadusalilasayam  uddi[292]syamanavipaniketu- 
vamsam]  sena(nivesam  drstva)  kim  ayam  mama  (’’karsanaya  ta- 
ta 8)vyuhas  samayatah  ahdsvid  aryaputra(vyuha)  iti  (cimtayamtlm) 


1 Trichinopoly  ed.,  svadurasavikalasphurita0 . 

2 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  D,  H also  omit  gandhi. 

3 Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H also  omit  punar. 

4 Srirangam  text  and  Trichinopoly  ed., paribhraman  prakrlajana. 

5 Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D also  omit  atha. 

6 Cf.  nidrdnte  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

7 Cf. phalamuladikam  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,D. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  F. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


193 


mam  [prati]  carakathit(odamto  durat  kiratasenapatir  dhavati 
sma).  tato  (’nyah)  kiratasenapatih  tadrsa  eva  (tathabhutaya  se- 
naya)  ’nvito  (mrgayam)  gatah1  so  ’pi  (tac  chrutva  dhavati  sma. 
[293]  athai  ’’kamisalubdhayor  grdhrayor  iva  tayor  yuddham  asit.) 
tatah  (prabhrti)  [prati]3arasaradurdina(sthagita)dinakarakirane 
rana  [294]  karmavisarada(karadur  2)  otksipta(khadga3dha  (1 13)  rada- 
lita)subhat(aslisyamanavidyadharl)vibhrame  samaradarsan(agata)- 
samcaradanekanabhascaracarana(caranaprakaraviracitatorana)ca- 
kravale  [vetalasamakrantaskandhakabandhacakrakriyamanacaru- 
pracare4]  (carac)carubhatakhadgakhamdita(dvipapada)samapta- 
(pisacika)ka[295]rnolukhal(abharane)  kautuk(akrstajana5samudva- 
lannamdike)  kamdislkabhiruni  (praskannakllbajane  ran5dyataji- 
taka^ini6)  ranakhale  (srgalika)srgalaprarthanlyesv  amisapimdesv 
iva  jihmagadastesv  iva  (svitradurbhagesv  iva)  sarlresu  (nastham) 
kalayarptas  samam  (dvisatam)  dhanusam  ca  jxv(akarsanam7)  yo- 
dhas  cakruh.  (tatra)  tyagina  iva  danavamto  marganasampatam 
(sahamtah)  samrddhavilasina  iva  srmgar(op)asobhitah  sahema- 
(kaksyas)  ca  sadarama  iva  kadallrajitah  sadvijas  ca  nisa(nivaha8) 
iva  naksatramalopasobhitah  (sarad)divasa  [296]  iva  (sam)ulla- 
sat(padmah)  mahamrga  babhuh.  ut(kupita)  iva  ksamam  mumca- 
mtah  payodhaya  iva  ’’varta(sobhinah)  sormayas  ca  udyan(od)de- 
sa  iva  samallikaksah  (kulala)grha  iva  ’bhinavabhamda(bharinah) 
ratnakara  iva  sadevamanayah  lekha  iva  semdra(vrddhayah  ksiba 
iva  pana(ii4)bhusitah)  turam(gama)  [ca]  virejuh9.  karnabhyam 
srutapar(apavada)bhyam  khalodayasadhuvipattisaksibhyam  aksi- 
bhyam  (asthane  'pi  namata  murdhna  klrtayata  ca  ’klrtanlyan 
asyena  ca  viyukto)  ’ham  (distye10)  ’ti  harsad  iva  (ciram  nanarta) 
kabamdhah.  tatah  [krtan](parihasakene)  ’va  caksuh  pidadhata 

1 Trichinopoly  ed.,  mrgayartham  agatah. 

2 Cf.  dviradakaradurotksipta  in  Hall’s  manuscript  C and  dviradakaraduratardtksipta 
in  Hall’s  manuscripts  D,  H. 

3 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D also  have  khadga. 

4 Hall’s  manuscripts  E,  F,  H also  omit  vetdla0  . . . °pracare. 

5 Trichinopoly  ed.  omits  kdutukdkrstajana. 

c Cf. praskannakllbajane  janopaghanajitakasini  in  Hall’s  manuscript_C. 

7 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D. 

8 So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H.  9 Trichinopoly  ed.,  rejuh. 

10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  A,  and  the  commentator  Jagaddhara. 

11  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  G also  omit  krta. 

O 


194 


vAsavadattA 


parapavadasravana[297]bhirune  ’va  srotravrttim  sthagayata  son- 
madene  ’va  vayuvegaviksiptena1  palitamkaranene  ’va  suraybsitam 
arndhamkaranene  ’va  yodhanam  timirene  ’va  samarapradosasya 
patitene  ’va  vimuktagotrena  (kunrpatine  ’va  naksatrapathagamina 
krtakalahene  ’va  krtadhumyarucina  rajasene  ’va  vyavahitasatvena 
avinitene  ’vo  ’ddhatena  asajjanene  ’va  pihitasatpathena2)  ranajena 
(rajojatena  vijijrmbhe3.  anamtaram  ca  narayana  iva)  [ravanava- 
dham  akarot]  kascit  [krsna  iva]  narakacchedam  akarsit.  kascid 
bauddhasiddhamta  iva  ksapitasrutivacanadarsano  ’bhavat.  kascit 
ksapanaka  iva  katavrta(vigraho  ’bhavat).  kascit  (surapa  iva  pa- 
pata4.  kascit  suyodhana  iva  samkitorubhamgah  sarojalam)  vi- 
vesa.  kascit  saratalpa(sayya5)gatah  bhlsma  iva  [298]  (gatayus 
ciram)  svasann  asit.  kascit  karna  iva  (viklababhutamgah6)  sakti- 
moksanam  akarot.  (kasci(ii5)d  raghava  iva  ravanavadham  aka- 
rot.)  tato  vi(hasta)dhvajapatam  patatpatakarn  (vyuhacaribhata- 
kampitakhadgadhenukam  tat  samastam  ubhayam  mitho  jagama 
hananam)  sainyam7.  (tatas  ca)  yasya  ’’sramas  tena  munina  pu- 
spadikam  adaya  ’’gatena8  (yogadrsa9)  pratipannavrttamtena  tva- 
tkrte  mama  ’yam  asramo  bhagna  (iti 10  kupitena11)  sila[299](maya 
putrika12)  bhave  ’ti  sapta  (”smy)  aham.  (tatah)  ksanen(ai  ”ve  ’yam 
varakl)  bahuduhkham  (anubhavatl  ’ty  anugrahad  aryaputrakaru- 
naya  ca  sa  munir  yacyamana13)  aryaputra(hasta)spars(avadhikam) 
sap[ant]am  akarot.  tatah  kamdarpaketuh  (srutavrttamtena)  sa- 
magatena  makaramdena  (taya)  vasavadattaya  ca  [300]  (samam14) 

1 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  niksiptena. 

2 Cf.  kunrpatirie  'va  naksatrapathagamina  kalihgene  'va  krtadhaumyarucina  raja- 
sene 'va  vyavahitasattvena  vitiilene  'va  ' samuddhatena  ’sajjanene  'va  hatantareria  in 
Hall’s  manuscript  C. 

3 Cf.  vijajrinbhe  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D,  Tel.  ed.  61,  Grantha  ed.,  Trichinopoly  ed., 
and  Srirangam  text. 

4 Cf.  kascit  surapadvija  iva  papata  in  Hall’s  manuscript  B. 

5 Cf.  talpasayo  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  and  the  commentator 
Jagaddhara. 

6 Cf.  viklavibhuta0  in  Hall’s  manuscript  D. 

7 Cf.  tat  samastam  iha'srame  mitho  nidhanam  jagama  sainyam  in  Hall’s  manuscript 
D and  tatah  samastasainyam  anydnyam  nidhanam  avdpa  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B. 

8 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  adaya  gatena. 

9 So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  C.  10  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D. 

11  Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  kopitena.  12  So  also  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B. 

13  Cf.  varaki"va  bahudu{ikhatn  anubhavatl' ti  karunakrsto  munir  in  Hall’s  manu- 
script D.  14  So  also  Hall’s  manuscript  A. 


A SANSKRIT  ROMANCE 


195 


svapuram  (patallputram)  gatva  [yatha1]hrdayabhilasitani  (sural5- 
kadurlabhani2)  sukhani  (tabhyam  saha)  ’nubhavan  kalam  (anekam) 
ninaya3. 

(sarasvatldattavaraprasadas  cakre  subamdhus  sujanaikabam- 
dhuh 

pratyaksaraslesamayaprapamcavinyasavaidagdhyanidhim  pra- 
bamdham. 

kavlnam  agalad  darpo  nunam4  vasavadattaya 
saktye  ”va  pamduputranam  gataya  karnagocaram5. 

iti  srikavisarvabhaumasubamdhuviracita 
vasavadatta  samapta6.) 


1 Hall’s  manuscripts  C,  D,  E,  F,  G also  omit  yatha. 

2 Cf.  suraiasukhani  in  Hall’s  manuscripts  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G. 

3 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.  add  iti  vasavadattakhyd gramtkas  samaptah. 

4 Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  nityam. 

5 Srirangam  text  and  Trichinopoly  ed.  omit  this  interpolation  from  the  Harstuarita. 

6 Trichinopoly  ed.,  sampurna  ; Tel.  ed.  61  and  Grantha  ed.,  vasavadatta  savyakhya 
samapta  ; Srirangam  text,  iti  vasavadatta  samapta  ; cf.  akhyayika  in  Hall’s  manuscripts 
A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H. 


O 2 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


In  the  following  bibliography  of  the  Vasavadatta  mere  allusions  to 
Subandhu  and  his  romance  in  the  general  histories  of  Sanskrit  literature 
are  intentionally  omitted. 

Manuscripts. 

Aufrecht,  Caialogus  Catalogorum,  i.  566,  726;  2.  13 3- 13 4,  224;  3. 
120,  Leipzig,  1891-1903. 

Editions. 

The  Vasavadatta , a Romance  by  Subandhu  ; Accompanied  by  § ivarama 
Tripathin's  Perpetual  Gloss,  entitled  Darpana.  Edited  by  Fitzedward 
Hall,  M.A.  Devanagari  script.  56  + 300+6  pp.  Baptist  Mission 
Press,  Calcutta,  1859  \Bibliolheca  Indica,  old  series,  Nos.  116,  130,  148]. 

srihayagrivaya  namah.  srimata  subandhunamna  mahakavina  viracite 
’’yarn  vdsavadattakhyd  mahdkhyayikd  iripaccappapdthasdldydm  samskrtan- 
dhropadhyayena  vimjimurukrsnamacaryena  sbdhita  ogguiuruvenugopalana- 
yakena  suryalokamudraksarabdlayam  mudrita  ’sit  1861  samvatsare  desam- 
bare  marsitithih.  T elugu  script.  1 2 6 pp.  ( 2 pp.  with  2 2 distichs  in  honour 
of  Hayagriva  [Visnu],  1 p.  of  kosas  used  in  the  commentary,  4 pp.  of 
summary  of  story,  119  pp.  of  text  and  commentary).1 

subham  aslu.  srimannikhilasuremdradivamditapddakamalasrivdgdevi- 
dattavaraprasadena  subamdhundmnd  kavikulasarvabhaumena  viracitah  vd- 
savadattakhyah  campitprabamdho  ’yam  dhimatam  arthaparijnandya  vya- 
khyanena  sdkam  madhurasubbhasdstrina  samsodhyapariskrtah  jhanasuryo- 
dayamudrdksaraldldydm  tadadhikarind  bhuvanagiri  ramgayyasettinamnd 
vaisyacudamanina  mudraksarair  mudrayitva  prakatikrtas  san  bhuvivijaya- 
telaram  1862  samvatsaram  yepral  nelaic)  tedi.  Telugu  script.  115+  1 pp. 
(the  last  page  occupied  by  a Rahasyatrayakarika ).  [For  the  transcrip- 
tion of  this  edition  see  above,  pp.  14  5- 19  5.] 2 

srihayagrivaya  namah.  srimata  subandhunamna  mahakavina  viracite 
"yarn  vdsavadattakhyd  mahdkhyayikd  vavillardmasvamisdstrind  sarasvatiti- 
ruvemkaiacaryena  ca  samyak  pariskrta  srimaccannapuryabharandyamand- 
yam  hindubhdsasamjivinimudrdksarasdlaydm  dgguluruvenugopalandyaka- 
prabhrtibhir  etanmudraksarasaldsamajikdih  mudrita  sati  vijayatetaram. 
[Device  containing  the  name  of  the  press  in  English,  Telugu,  Grantha, 

1 A copy  is  possessed  by  the  Library  of  the  India  Office,  London. 
a Copies  may  be  found  in  the  Library  of  the  India  Office,  London,  and  in  my  own 
possession. 


vAsavadatta 


198 

and  Devanagarl  characters,  and,  in  English,  * S.  Thiruvengadacharuloo, 
V.  Ramasawmy  Saustry,  O.  Vanoogopaloo.  N.  and  Co.’]  i8jo  sam 
janvari.  Grantha  script.  134  pp.  (1  p.  of  kosas  used  in  the  commentary, 
1 p.  of  names  of  officials,  etc.,  of  the  press,  4 pp.  of  summary  of  story, 
128  pp.  of  text  and  commentary).1 

vasavadalta  mahakavisubandhuviracitd  tripathiiivardmaracitadarpand- 
khyatikasahita  vi.  e.  upadhidharina  srijivanandavidyasagarabhattacdry- 
yena  samskrta.  kalikatayam  kavyaprakdsayantre  mudrita.  f 1874. 
Devanagarl  script.  154  pp.  (3d  ed.,  132  pp.,  Govardhana  Press,  Cal- 
cutta, 1907.)2 

Vasavadattd  of  Subandhu.  Edited  with  a Critical  Commentary  by  T.  V. 
Srinivasachariar  ( Sarasvata  — Saranga ),  Senior  Sanskrit  Pandit , St. 
Joseph’s  College , Trichinopoly , and  an  English  Introduction  by  Mr.  G.  Kas- 
iuriranga  Aiyangar , M.A.,  Lecturer , Maharajas  College , Mysore. 
Devanagarl  script.  6+17  + 160  pp.  St.  Joseph’s  College  Press, 
Trichinopoly,  1906. 

Vasavadalta  with  Commentary  by  Pandit  R.  V.  Krishnamachariar 
( Abhinava  Bhatta  Band).  Devanagarl  script.  5 + 66  + 359  pp.  Sri 
Vani  Vilas  Press,  Srirangam,  1906-1908. 

Translations. 

Vasabdatta.  Translated  into  Bangall  by  Madun  Mohun  Tarkalankar. 
n.  p.,  1837.  [The  sole  reference  to  this  version  which  I have  been  able 
to  find  is  that  by  Zenker,  Bibliotheca  orienlalis,  2.  319,  Leipzig,  1861.  It 
was  inaccessible  to  Hall,  though  he  knew  that  it  was  said  to  exist 
(Introd.,  p.  49).] 

Hall  (Introd.,  p.  29)  states  that  his  epitome  of  the  Vasavadalta  ( ib . 
pp.  29-43)  was  ‘abridged  from  a literal  version  which  was  first  prepared 
of  the  entire  story.’  The  subsequent  fortunes  of  this  manuscript  transla- 
tion are  unknown  to  me,  and  even  Mr.  Richard  Hall,  of  Wickham 
Market,  Suffolk,  the  son  of  Fitzedward  Hall,  has  thus  far  been  unable  to 
trace  it  (letter  of  Nov.  27,  1908).  The  value  of  this  rendering  by  the 
first  editor  of  the  romance,  could  it  be  found,  would  be  too  obvious  to 
require  further  emphasis. 

Adaptations. 

Madanamohana  Tarkalankara,  Vasavadattd.  A Love  Tale,  in  Verse. 
In  Bangall.  5 + 258  pp.  Calcutta,  18 63-3 

1 A copy  is  possessed  by  the  Library  of  the  India  Office,  London. 

2 I have  thus  far  been  unable  to  ascertain  the  date,  pagination,  and  press  of  the 
second  edition. 

3 A copy  is  possessed  by  the  Library  of  the  India  Office,  London. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


199 


Jayagopala  GosvamI,  Vasavadalta.  A Tale  Adapted  from  the  San- 
skrit Romance  of  Subandhu.  In  Bangali.  85  pp.  Calcutta,  1861.1 

Vamana  Daji  Ok,  Vasavadatta  Kathasara.  An  Abridged  Version  of 
Vasavadalta. , a Sanskrit  Romance  by  Subandhu.  In  Marathi.  4 + 24  pp. 
Bombay,  1889.1 

M.  T.  Narasimhiengar,  The  Vasavadatta-Kathasara,  with  Two  Appen- 
dices useful  to  Candidates  preparing  for  University  Examinations.  In 
132  Sanskrit  verses.  i + 36pp.  Srirangam,  1907. 

Studies. 

Cartellieri,  ‘ Das  Mahabharata  bei  Subandhu  und  Bana,’  in  WZKM. 
I3-  57-74- 

Cartellieri,  ‘Subandhu  and  Bana,’  in  WZKM.  1.  1 15-132. 

Colebrooke,  Miscellaneous  Essays,  ed.  E.  B.  Cowell,  2.  1 21-12  2, 
London,  1873.  Contains  a brief  outline  of  the  plot  of  the  Vasavadalta. 

Gray,  ‘The  Hindu  Romance,’  in  Princeton  University  Bulletin,  13. 
99-100.  A brief  outline  of  the  story  of  the  Vasavadatta. 

Gray,  ‘ Lexicographical  Addenda  to  the  St.  Petersburg  Lexicons  from 
the  Vasavadatta  of  Subandhu,’  in  ZD  MG.  60.  355-368. 

Gray,  ‘ Literary  Studies  on  the  Sanskrit  Novel,’  in  WZKM.  18.  39-58  : 
‘ The  Sanskrit  Novel  and  the  Arabian  Nights,’  pp.  39-48 ; ‘ The  Sanskrit 
Novel  and  the  Sanskrit  Drama,’  pp.  48-54 ; ‘ Reincarnation  as  a 
Novelistic  Device,’  pp.  54-58. 

Gray,  ‘loivarama’s  Commentary  on  the  Vasavadatta,’  in  fAOS.  24. 
57-63- 

Manning,  Ancient  and  Mediaeval  India,  2.  344-346,  London,  1869. 
A brief  outline  of  the  plot  of  the  Vasavadatta. 

Mazumdar,  ‘Who  were  the  Kankas?’  in  fRAS.  1907,  pp.  406-408. 

£astrl,  ‘ Some  Notes  on  the  Dates  of  Subandhu  and  Dih-naga,’  in 
JRASBe.  1.  253-255. 

Str6hly,  ‘ Un  Roman  indien.  Vasavadatta  de  Soubandhou,’  in  Revue 
politique  et  littdraire,  44.  305-3  n : outline  of  the  story  of  the  Vasavadatta, 
pp.  305-308  ; translation  of  the  introductory  stanzas,  p.  308  ; translation 
of  Kandarpaketu’s  dream,  pp.  308-311. 

Telang,  ‘Subandhu  and  Kumarila,’  in  JRASBo.  18.  147-167. 

Thomas,  ‘Subandhu  and  Bana,’  in  WZKM.  12.  21-33. 

Weber,  ‘Die  Vasavadatta  des  Subandhu,’  in  Indische  Streifen,  1. 369-386, 
Berlin,  1868.  A revised  and  enlarged  reprint  from  ZDMG.  8.  530-538. 

Zachariae,  ‘ Bruchstiicke  alter  Verse  in  der  Vasavadatta,’  in  Gurupuja- 
kaumudi,  Festgabe  zum  fiinfzigjahrigen  Doctorjubilaum  Albrecht  Weber, 
pp.  38-40,  Leipzig,  1896. 

1 A copy  is  possessed  by  the  Library  of  the  British  Museum. 


LEXICOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX 


The  following  list  of  words  and  meanings  occurring  in  the  Vasavadatta, 
which  the  St.  Petersburg  Sanskrit  dictionaries  either  omit  altogether 1 or  cite 
only  from  native  lexicographers,  is  condensed  from  my  ‘ Lexicographical 
Addenda  to  the  St.  Petersburg  Lexicons  from  the  Vasavadatta  of 
Subandhu’  (. ZDMG . 60.  355-368),  and  is,  at  the  same  time,  supple- 
mented by  the  material  from  the  Madras  edition  of  1862  (which  was  then 
unknown  to  me)  and  the  Srirangam  edition  of  1906-1908,  which  appeared 
subsequently  to  the  study  just  mentioned.3  The  Hall,  Madras,  and 
Srirangam  texts  are  here  denoted  by  the  letters  H,  M,  and  S respectively, 
but  the  latter  two  are  cited  only  when  they  present  words  or  meanings 
not  found  in  the  edition  of  Hall.  An  asterisk  (*)  prefixed  to  a word  or 
meaning  denotes  that  the  St.  Petersburg  dictionaries  cite  only  from 
Sanskrit  lexicographers,  and  a small  circle  (°)  similarly  prefixed  implies 
that  the  word  or  meaning  in  question  is  entirely  omitted  by  the  St. 
Petersburg  lexicons.  The  numbers  within  the  parentheses  refer  to  pages 
and  lines  respectively  of  the  editions  employed. 

a 

*a  (H  113,  1) : Visnu.3 

amsuka  (M  67,  6 ; S 212,  1):  °ray,  beam  of  light. 

' It  should  be  noted  in  this  connexion  that  a complete  index  to  the  Vasavadatta 
was  prepared  by  Aufrecht  and  placed  for  a time  at  the  disposal  of  Bohtlingk,  who 
excerpted  from  it  what  he  deemed  most  important  for  his  dictionary  ( Sanskrit - 
Worterbuch  in  kurzerer  Fassung,  5.  Introd.,  p.  1,  St.  Petersburg,  1884). 

- Similar  lists  of  words  and  meanings  supplementary  to  those  given  in  the  St.  Peters- 
burg lexicons  have  recently  been  prepared  by  Meyer  for  the  Kuttanimata  and  Samaya- 
matrka  (in  his  Altindische  Schebnenbitcher,  2.  151-156,  Leipzig,  1903), by  Schmidt  for 
Appayyadlksita’s  Kuvalaydnandakdrikd  in  his  translation  of  the  work  (p.  147,  Leipzig, 
1907),  byjahn  for  the  Saurapunina  {Das  Saurapurana,  pp.  194-195,  Strassburg,  1908), 
by  Schmidt  and  Hertel  for  Amitagati’s  Subhasitasanddha  {ZDMG.  59.  266-267), 
by  Schmidt  for  Rama’s  Manmalhonmathana  {ZDMG.  63.  41 1),  by  Oster  for  the 
Bhojaprabandha  (in  his  Die  Rezensionen  des  Bhojaprabandha , pp.  15-17,  Darmstadt, 
1911),  by  myself  for  Rajasekhara’s  Viddhasdlabhanjika  { JAOS . 27.  7),  and  by  Hertel 
for  Hemacandra’s  Pari'sistaparvan  {ZDMG.  62.  361-369)  and  the  Pancatantra 
{ Pancatantra , ed.  Hertel,  pp.  291-295,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1908).  By  far  the  most 
important  collection  in  the  present  connexion,  however,  is  Thomas’s  ‘Two  Lists  of 
Words  from  Bana’s  Harsacarita,’  in  JR  AS.  1899,  pp.  485-517,  a list  closely  analogous 
to  the  one  here  presented  from  the  Vasavadatta.  A similar  study  of  the  lexicography 
of  Bana’s  Kadambari  is  still  a desideratum. 

s Professor  Otto  Franke  (card  of  Oct.  14,  1906)  kindly  calls  my  attention  to 
Bhagavadgita,  10.  33,  where  Krsna  (Visnu)  says:  aksaranatn  akdro'smi , ‘ of  letters 
I am  the  A.’ 


LEXICOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX 


201 


akirianiya  (M  114,  3;  S 354.  6):  “unpraiseworthy. 
aksa  (H  72,  3):  “conduct. 

*agaru{ M57,  6;  67,  xo;  84,5;  89,1;  8213,4;  287,4;  298,  4): 
Amyris  Agallocha,  aloes-wood  (also  in  Pancatanlra , 46,  5). 
agadha  (H  24,  2)  : “free  from  greed. 

°agranthin  (H  1 13,  2):  pure-hearted. 
agresara  (H  23,  3):  “friend. 

ahkana  (M  72,  9 ; 83,  5 ; S 283,  4) : “court  (faulty  writing  for  angaria ). 
acakra  (H  112,  2) : “without  guile. 

ajapala  (H  111,  1) : (1)  *goatherd;  (2)  “elder  brother  of  Rama; 
(3)  “clinging  to  passion. 

°anc  + ava  [ avahcant ] (H  172,  3):  to  bend  down. 
aficana  (H  213,  2) : “going,  movement, 

°aiitamyasla  (H  46,  1):  excessive  thinness. 

atimuktata  (H  136,  2) : (1)  “completely  emancipated;  (2)  *Gaerlnera 
racemosa,  Roxb.,  a beautiful  and  hardy  creeper,  distinguished  for  the 
fragrance  and  beauty  of  its  blossoms. 

anahgata  (H  128,  2):  “lack  of  allegiance. 

°anatimaya  (M  9,  2)  : (1)  without  /mz-fishes  ; (2)  unbending. 
ananta  (H  13,  1) : “many. 

°anahibhaya  (S  32,  2) : (1)  having  no  fear  of  one’s  subjects;  (2)  having 
no  fear  of  serpents  (cf.  *ahibhaya  : fear  of  one’s  subjects). 

“ anubandhatd  (H  1 7 1 , 3)  : series. 
anubandhin  (H  147,  2) : “author  of  a book. 
andhahkarana  (H  297,  2):  “cause  of  blindness. 

°apadarsana  (H  76,  1):  deprived  of  sight. 

aparajita  (H  246,  2):  *Clitoria  ternatea,  Linn.,  a cultivated  flowering 
plant,  chiefly  blue  and  white  in  colour. 

°abhutata  (H  204,  1)  : untruth. 
amara  (H  280,  1) : “not  murderous. 

°ambaratva  (H  X27,  3):  (1)  cloudiness;  (2)  clothing. 
ambhoja  (M  106,  1 ; S 335,  2):  “name  of  a son  of  Visvamitra. 
°ambhojacamara  (H  270,  1) : Blyxa  octandra,  Linn.,  an  aquatic,  grass- 
like  plant,  with  large,  white  blossoms. 

°amradiman  (H  213,  1) : hardness. 

amlana  (H  135,  2;  248,  1):  *Gomphraena  gbbosa,  Linn.,  globe- 
amaranth. 

arkaparna  (M  102,  7):  *Asclepias  gigantea,  Willd.,  a large,  ramous 
shrub. 

°ardh  + upas  am  \upasamrddha\  (M  109,  7):  to  be  constant,  to  last. 
ardhacandra  (H  89,  1):  *eye  in  the  plume  of  a peacock. 


202  vAsavadattA 

*ardhasaphara  (H  99,  2):  demi-carp,  a sort  of  fish  of  uncertain 
identification. 

°arpaka  (H  53,  3):  causing  to  go,  delivering  over,  yielding. 

°avakoia  (H  99,  1):  crane. 

avadhika  (M  115,  8;  S 357,  5):  °having  as  a limit,  up  to,  until. 

avalopana  (H  72,  3):  °sunset. 

avasyaya  (H  23,  1) : *pride. 

°avastrlkrla  (H  196,  1):  (1)  wile  of  an  evil  woman;  (2)  made  a 
miserable  woman. 

*avlci  (M  46,  1 ; S.  136,  3):  a certain  hell. 

asahkhya  (H  112,  1)  : °weapon,  arrow. 

°asitamukha  (H  278,  3):  a variety  of  white  goose  with  black  head  and 
legs. 

°astimila  (H  268,  1):  restless,  tremulous. 

°a/iasa  (H  33,  1):  sorrow. 

*ahitundika  (M  6,  6 ; S 26,  1):  snake  catcher,  snake  charmer. 

cahimakara  (H  278,  3)  : sun. 


a 

akarsaka  (H  197,  1):  Attractive  to  women. 

°dghrdluka  (H  161,  3):  breathing  forth. 

adambara  (H  181,3):  beginning,  commencement. 

dtarpana  (H  183,  3;  267,  3):  “pigment,  cosmetic. 

atmaghosa  (H  74,  1):  “self-praise. 

ananda  (M  91,  1):  “Brahma. 

drika  (H  244,  4):  “recourse,  summons. 

Qavirbhuii  (H  66,  1)  : manifestation. 
dsd  (H  13,  2) : “west. 

dsrayasa  (H  28,  2 ; 70.  5):  (1)  “longing  for  hermitages;  (2)  “refuge- 
devouring. 

i 

°i/ar  (H  213,  3):  going  to,  attaining,  possessing. 

°indrakopa  (M  in,  4):  cochineal  (faulty  writing  for  indragopa). 
indrajalin  (H  67,  1):  “enchanting,  bewitching. 

°indravrddhi  (M  113,  14):  sort  of  horse  (cf.  *indravrddhika\  sort  of 
horse). 

* indranika  (H  244,  3):  (1)  “wife  of  Indra;  (2)  ° Asparagus  racemosus, 
Willd.,  racemose  asparagus. 

indr  am  (H  1 14,  3 ; 135,  1) : (1)  *mode  of  coitus  (cf.  Schmidt,  Beitrdgt 


LEXICOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX 


203 

zur  indischen  Eroiik,  pp.  530-531,  564,  570,  Leipzig,  1902);  (2)  *Vitex 
negundo,  Linn.,  a small  tree. 

u 

*uccatala  (H  102,  4):  °lofty  height. 
uccaihsravas  (H  73,  1):  °deaf. 
ujjvala  (M  40,  3;  S 121,  2):  *passion,  love. 
utkalika  (M  86,  4;  S 294,  1):  °name  of  a girl. 

*utkuia  (M  36,  4) : °sort  of  fish. 

uipala  (H  42,  4;  134,  3):  (1)  *fleshless ; (2)  °sort  of  fish  of  uncertain 
identification. 

°uisekita  (M  109,  n ; S 344,  1):  proud,  haughty. 

*uddandapdla  (H  99,  3) : sort  of  fish  of  uncertain  identification. 
°uddandavala  (M  37,  6;  S 112,  5):  sort  of  fish  of  uncertain  identifi- 
cation (variant  spelling  of  the  preceding  word). 
udroka  (H  24,  2) : clight  on  an  elevated  place. 
ullalana  (S  168,  3):  °act  of  swinging. 

e 

°e. kabandhu  (H  9,  1):  only  brother. 

k 

ka  (H  77,  2)  : *hair. 

*kamsarati  (H  286,  2):  Krsna. 
kaccha  (M  36,  4) : “bristle. 

kahcukin  (H  288,  3):  *serpent  (also  in  Harsacarita,  108,  n). 
kata  (H  242,  1 ; 297,  8):  ^corpse  (cf.  Zachariae,  Beitrage  zur  indischen 
Lexicographic , p.  34,  Berlin,  1883,  and  especially  Zupitza,  Die  german- 
ischen  Gutturale,  p.  107,  Berlin,  1896). 
kataka  (H  216,  4):  *capital,  metropolis. 

°katapala  (H  75,  2) : (1)  flesh  of  a corpse ; (2)  breaking  of  an 
agreement. 

kantaka  (H  18,  1):  “informer,  tell-tale. 

°kathakdy  [ kathakayate, ] (M  92,  7 ; S 306,  5):  to  become  a narrator. 
kadalika  (M  89,  6 ; S 300,  1) : “name  of  a girl. 

*kadali  (H  295,  6):  banner  borne  on  an  elephant. 
kanaka  (M  64,  17  ; S 199,  1):  *Butea  frondosa,  dhak- tree. 

°kapika  (H  266,  2):  monkey. 
kabandha  (H  42,  3;  101,  3):  *water. 

°kabarika  (M  61,  2;  S 186,  1):  hair. 

kamala  (H  205,  1):  “receptacle  of  bliss  (ka:  jo y + *mal(/)a:  recep- 
tacle). 


204 


vAsavadattA 


karaka  (H  150,  2):  *hand. 
karana  (H  125,  4) : “cleavage. 

*kartana  (H  129,  1):  spinning  (cf.  krntana  below). 
karpara  (H  277,  3):  *skull. 

° karma  (M  51,  1):  silk  (cf.  krmi : worm). 

*kalakantha  (H  131,  3;  263,  2):  Eudynamis  orientalis,  koel,  Indian 
cuckoo. 

kalatratd  (H  236,  2):  “possession  of  hips  and  loins  (cf.  kalatra : hips, 
pudenda,  Kuttanlmata , 295). 

*kalahkura  (H  142,  4):  name  of  a man. 

kalihga  (S  355,  7)  : *fork-tailed  shrike. 

kanta  (H  267,  1):  “destroyer  of  bliss  ( ka:  jo y + ania:  end). 

kantara  (H  23,  3):  “famine. 

kaleya  (M  69,  n ; S 222,  2)  : (1)  * saffron ; (2)  *liver. 
kavyd  (H  12,  2) : *epithet  of  a female  demon. 
kdstha  (H  176,  3):  “eminence,  prosperity. 

°kimmira  (M  56,  2):  variegated  (Prakritism  for  kirmira). 

*kila/a  ( H 219,  2):  water. 
ku  (H  201,  1) : “wife. 

kutija  (M  36,  4 ; S 109,  2) : *jaw  (cf.  Zachariae,  Beilrdge  zur  indischen 
Lexikographie , p.  32,  Berlin,  1883). 
kunjara  (H  201,  1):  *hair. 
kutikrta  (M  103,  7;  S 329,  5):  “crooked. 

°kup  + ud\utkupila~\  (M  67,  12;  113,  11 ; S 354,  1):  to  be  angry. 
*kuruta  (M  88,  1 ; S 296,  3)  : “unseemly  noise. 

°kulagraha  (M  84,  9) : palace  (Prakritism  for  kulagrka). 
°kuhakuharava  (M  102,  9;  Trichinopoly  ed.,  83,  5) : confused  noise. 
°kuhakuhdrava  (Tel.  ed.  61,  58,  8;  Grantha  ed.,  58,  5):  confused 
noise  (variant  spelling  of  the  preceding  word). 

*kuhumukha  (M  60,  7 ; S 185,  1):  Eudynamis  orienlalis,  koel,  Indian 
cuckoo. 

°krkaldsald  (H  275,  1):  lizardhood. 

krti  (II  210,  2):  “wealth  (cf.  Zachariae,  op.  cit.  p.  33,  on  krta : fruit, 
reward). 

krntana  (M  51,  6):  “spinning  (cf.  *karlana  above). 
krsnavartman  (H  28,  2 ; 176,  3) : *rascally. 

°ketakika  (H  231,  5):  name  of  a girl. 

°keddrikdkdstika  (H  284,  2) : enclosure  of  a field. 

°kdkapriyatama  (H  53,  3) : female  of  the  Cascara  rutila,  Pallas,  the 
Brahminy  or  ruddy  duck. 

*konapa  (M  93,  9) : “sort  of  demon  (faulty  writing  for  kaunapa). 


LEXICOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX 


205 

*krakacacchada  (H  285,  1):  Pandanus  odoratissimus,  Linn.,  screw-pine. 
ksana  (H  173,  5 ; 229,  3) : °night. 
ksanadeSa  (H  229,  3):  °husband. 

°ksinatara  (H  56,  3) : extreme  emaciation. 

ksudra  (H  169,  2):  *courtesan  (also  in  Kuttamma/a,  439). 

*ksudranda  (M  109,  1):  shoal  of  fish. 

kh 

*khagesvara  (H  268,  6):  “Garuda. 

hhandabhra  (H  114,  2):  *sort  of  erotic  bite  (cf.  Schmidt,  Beitrtige 
zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  504-505,  Leipzig,  1902). 

°kharaia  (M  85,  6;  S 293,  1):  roughness. 
kharvia  (H  127,  2):  *courage,  manhood. 

g 

*ganamya  (H  235,  2) : that  should  be  reckoned. 

*ganikarikd  (H  244,  4):  Premna  spinosa,  Roxb.,  a small  tree. 
ganda  (S  309,  1) : (1)  *stud  in  a horse’s  trappings ; (2)  *rhinoceros. 
°garghana  (Grantha  ed.,  48,  12)  : rubbing  (variant  spelling  of  °ghar- 
ghana,  M 45,  4). 

°gal  +sam  [ sahgalant ] (H  253,  1):  to  drip. 

*ganikya  (M  40,  2 ; S 121,  2) : group  of  courtesans. 
gandhara  (H  127,  2) : *minium,  red  lead  used  as  a cosmetic. 

*gamuka  (S  348,  4) : traveller. 
guna  (H  15,  x) : *BhIma. 

°gulmata  (H  93,  1) : (1)  bushiness  ; (2)  spleenfulness. 

*guhin  (M  104,  2) : forest. 

gocarata  (H  272,  2)  : °range. 

goda  (M  61,3;  S 186,  2)  : °earth-giving. 

godhumaka  (M  111,  15):  °wheat. 

gopati  (M  100,  3 ; S 323,  2)  : *epithet  of  Indra. 

gopala  (M  41,  5 ; S 125,  1):  “eloquent. 

gaudheya  (M  103,  11):  *lizard. 

*gaudhera  (H  265,  2):  lizard  (variant  spelling  of  the  preceding  word). 
gaurika  (H  88,  2 ; 89,  3) : “ruddy. 

gE 

ghanlarava  (H  106,  2):  *a  variety  of  Crotularia. 
ghanasara  (H  262,  2):  *a  sort  of  tree. 

cgharghana  (M  45,  4) : rubbing  (variant  spelling  of  °garghana,  Grantha 
ed.,  48,  12). 


206 


vAsavadattA 


°gha  + ud  [udghala]  (M  hi,  12):  to  dig  up  (faulty  writing  for  kha  + ud). 
°ghdtariiya  (H  293,  1)  : to  be  killed. 

°ghumughumdyita  (Trichinopoly  ed.,  90,  3):  humming. 

c 

°catdtkara  (M  93,  11 ; S 311,  2):  crackling  noise  (variant  spelling  of 
*catalkara). 

candrarekha  (M  52,  1 ; S 150,  2):  °golden  diadem. 
capald  (H  223,  2):  °name  of  a girl. 
capalay  \capaldyati\  (H  223,2):  °to  tremble. 
carana  (H  278,  3) : °ray,  beam  of  light. 

*caturikd  (H  57,  2) : cpillow,  cushion. 
carana  (H  264,  3)  : °passage. 

°cdribhala  (M  115,  2 ; S 356,  8):  soldier  (variant  spelling  of  °carubhala). 
earn  (M  106,  1 ; S 335,  2)  : °name  of  a son  of  Visvamitra. 

°cdrubhata  (H  43,  1 ; 294,  4):  (1)  a sort  of  fish  of  uncertain  identifi- 
cation ; (2)  soldier  (variant  spelling  of  °caribhaia ). 

citra  (M  52,  2 ; S 150,  3):  *Jonesia  Asoca,  ushoka- tree. 
citraka  (M  52,  2;  S 150,  3):  *sectarial  mark  on  the  forehead. 
cirajivin  (H  120,  6):  probably  * Terminalia  tormentosa,  Roxb.,  wy-tree. 
°cuncura  (M  103,  9 ; S 329,  6) : eager,  desirous. 
cumbaka  (H  198,  1) : *addicted  to  kissing. 

eh 

chattra  (H  44,  3):  probably  *Asc/epias  acida,  Roxb.,  soma-plant. 

j 

jaghanya  (H  77,  1) : *membrum  virile. 

°jarjharila  (M  17,9):  broken,  shattered  (variant  spelling’of  jharjharila). 
*jalanakula  (H  277,  2):  otter. 

°jalanianuja  (H  279,  1)  : merman. 
jiva  (H  295,  4) : *bow-string. 


jb 

°jhandtkdra  (M  20,  7 ; S 63,  3) : jingle  (variant  spelling  of  jhanatkara). 


t 

°lahkdrin  (S  310,  4) : hissing  (cf.  tahkarin : making  the  sound  Id,  in 
Harsacari/a,  161,  3). 


LEXICOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX 


207 


d 

°dl+samud\_samuddtyamdna,samuddayamdna ] (M  18,  1;  S 55,  x) : to 
fly  up  together. 


dh 

°dhakim  (M  94,  1):  sort  of  female  demon  (variant  spelling  of  dakint). 


t 

tata  (H  218,  4):  °proximity. 

°taiit  (M  no,  12) : lightning  (faulty  spelling  for  tadit ). 

*ta/a  (H  77,  2) : °sound  of  the  lute  and  similar  instruments. 
tathagata  (H  114,  3):  (1)  “homely;  (2)  “customary. 

°tithin  (H  111,  2):  lover. 

°tiryaggatin  (H  147,  3):  (1)  going  in  crooked  ways;  (2)  breeze,  wind. 
iuladhdra  (H  174,  1):  *merchant  (cf.  tuladhara : merchant,  Samaya- 
matrkd,  7.  21 ; 8.  45). 

°tulira  (M  108,  5):  meaning  unknown  (H  lulita ; S tulita ). 

* troll  (M  53,  8 ; S 154,  3) : beak. 


d 

*da  (H  199,  1):  wife. 

°dattakapdta  (H  65,  5) : with  closed  doors. 

damanaka  (H  39,  2;  135,  1)  : (1)  “hero,  champion;  (2)  “foe. 

darpaka  (H  53,  3 ; 209,  1):  “burning. 

dahana  (H  28,  2):  “consumer,  destroyer. 

danavant  (H  295,  5):  “shedding  ichor  (also  in  Harsacarila,  200,  18). 
dara  (H  22 1,  5)  : “love  (cf.  darika  : courtesan,  Subhasitasarnddha,  24. 

14). 

dasi  (H  169,  2) : *courtesan. 

divyacaksu  (H  143,  1) : (1)  “Krsna  ; (2)  *blind. 

°duratikramaid  (S  326,  3):  state  of  being  hard  to  overcome. 
duhsasana  (H  20,  2) : “evil  instruction. 

°dyusrna  (H  233,  4):  Crocus  sativus,  Linn.,  common  saffron  (faulty 
spelling  for  ghusrna;  cf.  Zachariae  in  KZ.  27.  577  [card  of  Professor 
Zachariae,  June  14,  1910]). 

°dravas  (H  223,  2):  running,  course. 

*dravaka  (H  198,  1):  (x)  magnet;  (2)  causing  to  run. 
drona  (H  148,  1 ; 169,  5 ; 176,  2 ; 247,  2) : *crow  (also  in  Harsacarita, 
89,  12). 

*dronakaka  (M  68,  5 ; S 216,  1) : raven. 
dvijapaii  (H  252,  3) : *moon. 


208 


vAsavadattA 


dvijarajan  (H  273,  1) : °Brahman  of  superior  excellence. 
dvyartha  (H  195,  1):  “uncertain,  hesitating. 

dh 

°dhumyd  (S  355,  7) : fork-tailed  shrike  (misprint  for  * dhumyatal). 
dhriar astro.  (H  15,  1):  “ruler  of  a kingdom. 

n 

nagaramandana  (H  142,  4):  “adornment  of  a city. 

°nalimant  (H  181,  2):  bowed,  bent. 
nada  (H  91,  3):  °sound,  noise. 

?tadina  (H  25,  1):  “lord  of  rivers,  ocean  (also  in  Parisistaparvan,  7. 
i38)- 

nandighosa  (H  142,  2):  *name  of  Arjuna’s  chariot  (cf.  Zachariae, 
Beitrdge  zur  indischen  Lexikographie , p.  40,  Berlin,  1883). 
nabhascara  (H  267,  6):  *bird. 
nalhoga  (H  23,  3) : “god,  deity. 

naya  (H  284,  2):  *sort  of  game,  chess  (?)  or  backgammon  (?)  (cf. 
Thomas,  ‘ The  Indian  Game  of  Chess,’  in  ZDMG.  53.  364). 

°naraksana  (M  78,  3;  S 264,  1):  destruction. 

°naruka  (M  in,  14):  vulture. 

narmada  (H  271,  1) : *jester,  buffoon. 

nava  (H  27,  3):  *praise,  glory. 

navaka  (H  7,  4) : (1)  “despised ; (2)  “unknown. 

nandika  (M  113,  4)  : “shout  of  praise. 

*nd?idlka  (H  295,  1):  “possessed  of  laudations. 

*narikeli  (S  137,6):  cocoanut-tree. 
ndstikata  (H  18,  1):  “poverty. 
nirrti  (H  122,  3):  “devoid  of  envy. 

“ nirbarha  (H  288,  5) : with  fallen  or  drooping  plumes. 

°mrlaksa  (S  80,  4) : aimless. 
nisdtana  (M  88,  1):  “paring,  sharpening. 

°mslrimsaiva  (H  129,  2):  (1)  swordship;  (2)  cruelty. 
nyagrodha  (H  104,  3) : “underbrush. 

P 

c 'pancahgulaya  (H  183,  3) : handful. 

°patakuttka  (H  291,  1):  tent. 

°patuprabha  (H  286,  1):  beautiful. 

°panyavidhikd  (M  70,  3):  shop  (faulty  writing  for panyavlthika). 
patlraratha  (H  42,  3):  “arrow. 


LEXICOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX 


209 


°pattrika  (S  205,  1):  leaf  letter. 

pathya  (H  248,  2):  °health. 

padma  (M  113,  11 ; S 353,  5) : °drop  of  water. 

°paybja  (M  86,  5 ; S 294,  1) : lotus. 

°parandaka  (M  23,  16):  barrier  to  separate  elephants  (misprint  for 
varandaka  ?). 

°parimalay  \parimalaya\  (H  233,  2)  : to  perfume. 

°parihasaka  (M  114,  4;  S 355,  3):  smiling. 

°paruvaka  (M  22,  8 ; S 69,  4) : casket. 

palala  (H  156,  1):  *flesh,  meat. 

palasa  (H  133,  2 ; 246,  3)  : *demon. 

pallava  (H  38,  4 ; 114,  3) : (1)  *love;  (2)  *paramour. 

pallavita  (H  137,  1):  *reddened. 

°pamsulay  [ pamsulaya ] (M  89,  2) : to  make  dusty. 
patra  (H  47,  3)  : °body. 

°pdlavali  (M  56,  7) : fishhook. 

pali  { H 139,5;  I9°)  5):  (1)  *beautiful  (at  the  end  of  compounds); 
(2)  °hilt  of  a sword. 
pundarika  (H  42,  4) : *white  parasol. 
puspaketu  (H  hi,  2) : °mass  of  flowers. 

°purvatana  (M  8,  2):  former,  ancient. 

*pecakin  (H  178,  1):  elephant. 

pela  (M  104,  2):  *open  hand  with  outstretched  fingers. 

°pracayata  (H  266,  6) : mass,  quantity. 

°prapatata  (M  104,  6 ; S 331,  6) : state  of  having  a shore  (cf.  prapdta  : 
*shore). 

prabala  (H  114,  2 ; 247,  2):  °long  hair. 

°pravalamani  (H  114,  2):  sort  of  erotic  bite  (cf.  Schmidt,  Beitrage 
zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  502-503,  Leipzig,  1902). 
prasuna  (M  27,  2 ; S 84,  2)  : *fruit. 

ph 

°phalata  (H  258,  5):  fruition. 


b 

bandhura  (H  165,  5) : *undiform,  wavelike. 

balari  (M  94,  5) : °owl  (cf.  kdkavairin , vdyasdntaka : owl,  foe  of 
crows). 

bahulata  (H  88,  3)  : “blackness. 

*baha  (H  146,  2):  arm  (cf.  Zachariae,  Beitrage  zur  indischen  Lexiko- 
graphie,  p.  57,  Berlin,  1883). 

P 


210 


VASAVADATTA 


bh 

cbhanguratva  (H  128,  2) : (1)  break;  (2)  crookedness. 
bhadra  (H  94,  2):  *Cyperus  rotundus,  Linn.,  galangal. 

°bh?bhatsa  (M  93,  10):  loathsome  (faulty  writing  for  bibhatsa). 
bhlru  (H  295,  2) : *jackal. 

°bhujahgata  (H  273,  2):  (1)  serpenthood;  (2)  profligacy  (also  in 
Harsacarita,  88,  2). 

0bhujahgapati  (M  92,  7):  prince  of  serpents,  the  cosmic  serpent  Sesa. 
bhujisya  (H  1 7 1,  2):  *courtesan  (also  in  Kuttanimata,  332,  420). 
bhuvana  (H  32,  1 ; S 301,  5):  (1)  *water;  (2)  *house,  palace. 

°bhutata  (H  204,  1):  truth. 

bhrhgardjan  (H  260,  3)  : *sort  of  large  bee. 

°bhramanaka  (M  28,  2 ; S 86,  3):  wandering,  roaming  about. 
bhramara  (H  40,  1) : (1)  *lover;  (2)  °curl  on  the  forehead. 
bhramaka  (H  198,  1):  (1)  *magnet;  (2)  "seducer  of  women. 

m 

ma  ( H 224,3):  *Siva. 

* makarahka  (M  89,  1 1 ; S 300,  6)  : Kama,  the  god  of  love. 
makarika  (M  89,  11 ; S 300,  5):  "name  of  a girl. 

°manjiray  [ mahjiraya ] (H  89,  6 ; S 299,  4) : to  anklet  it,  hasten,  go. 
manjughosd  (M  52,  3 ; S 150,  4) : *name  of  an  Apsaras. 
mandalagra{  H 200,  1):  *crooked  sword. 
maisara  (H  72,  2):  *fly. 

matsya  (M  106,  2 ; S 335,  3) : "name  of  a son  of  Visvamitra. 
°matsyaputrika  (H  287,  3):  sort  of  bird. 
madana  (H  87,  2):  * Datura  metel,  Roxb.,  white  thorn-apple. 
madanaialaka  (H  106,  4):  *aphrodisiac. 

0madayant  (H  213,  3):  intoxicated. 

°madhusriya  (H  139,  1):  vernal  beauty. 
marici  (M  89,  8) : "black  pepper. 

maruvaka  (H  135,  1):  (1)  probably  *Ocimum  basihcum,  Linn.,  common 
basil ; (2)  *crane  from  the  district  of  Maru. 
marman  (H  112,  1) : "secret,  mystery. 
malaya  (H  224,  3):  (1)  "love;  (2)  "moon. 
mallanaga  (H  89,  1):  °sort  of  elephant. 
mahatapasvin  (H  281,  2):  "great  ascetic. 

*mahanala  (H  181,  3):  faiva  (cf.  Zachariae,  Bcitrage  zur  indischen 
Lexikographie,  p.  68,  Berlin,  1883). 

*ma/iisaksa  (M  57,  9;  S 172,  1):  sort  of  bdellium. 


LEXICOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX 


211 


°ma  (H  122,  5;  21 1,  1;  M 78,  2 ; S 264,  1):  (1)  Laksmi;  (2)  utter, 
entire. 

°mdmsalay  [ mamsalita ] (H  177,  3):  to  make  stout  or  strong. 

°malangikd  (H  231,  3) : name  of  a girl. 

manusyaka  (H  222,  1):  *multitude  of  men. 

malaya  (H  23,  2):  °red  lotus. 

mukta  (H  89, 1) : “missile. 

mukta  (M  106,  5 ; S 336,  2) : *courtesan. 

muklamaya  (H  35,  2):  “free  from  disease. 

mud  yd  [ amumude ] (H  215,  1) : “to  rejoice  exceedingly. 

muni  (H  136,  2):  * Man  gif  era  indica,  Linn.,  mango-tree. 

Cmurchagrhita  (H  156,  3):  seized  with  faintness. 

*mrlyuphala  (H  91,  3)  : fruit  of  the  Trichosanthes  palmata,  Roxb.,  or  of 
the  Musa  sapienlum,  Willd. 

°tnr diman  (M  81,  3)  : softness. 

°meldmanday  \melamanddyatf\  (M  92,  7):  to  become  an  inkwell  (de- 
nominative from  *melamandd : inkwell). 

*mradistha  (H  169,  4):  softest,  very  soft. 

y 

yantrana  (H  136,  3):  (1)  “feather-guard  on  an  arrow;  (2)  *protection. 
yavasa  (H  77,  2):  “skill. 

r 

*ra  (H  213,  3) : fire,  heat. 

raktamandalata  (H  230,  3)  : (1)  “state  of  having  a red  disc  ; (2)  “state  of 
possessing  devoted  adherents. 

°rajdrdjan  (M  81,2;  S 275,  1):  Kama,  the  god  of 
°rali/a  (M  86,  7) : beautiful  (by-form  of  lalita). 

°rasamayant  (M  82,  1) : (1)  delightful ; (2)  full  of  desire. 

°ragata  (H  128,  1) : (1)  a certain  musical  mode  ; (2)  affection,  love. 
ragita  (H  129,  1):  “redness. 
rajasa  (H  203,  1):  “passionateness. 

crdja  (M  57,  n ; S 172,  4):  parched  grain  (by-form  of  lajd  for  the 
sake  of  paronomasia). 

ripu  (H  199,  2):  “cowife. 

runda  (M  23,  15):  “staff  of  a balance. 

rupa  (H  144,  2) : *wild  beast. 

I 

lamba  (M  41,  2 ; S 124,  1) : “section  of  a book  (abbreviation  of  lam - 
baka;  cf.  Lacote,  Essai  sur  Gunadhya  el  la  Brhatkatha,  pp.  220-221, 
Paris,  1908). 


21 2 


VASAVADATTA 


laya  (H  224,  3):  °house. 
lasaka  (H  55,  1):  *peacock. 

0lipik<xray  \lipikdrdyate ] (M  92,  7 ; S 306,  5):  to  become  a scribe. 

v 

°val+sa7/iud  [ samudvalan ] (M  113,  4) : to  rise  up  together. 

*van' ( H 199,  x):  speech,  eloquence. 
varum  (H  267,  1):  “water. 
vastuka  (S  158,  2)  : “inhabitant  of  a city. 
vikaca  (H  64,  3) : “the  planet  Venus. 

*vtcikila  (M  55,  5;  56,  4;  S 164,  1;  166,  3):  Jasminum  Sambac, 
Arabian  jasmine  (variant  spelling  of  vicakila). 
vidagdha  (H  128,  1):  “libertine. 
vidyadhara  (H  14,  3):  “receptacle  of  wisdom. 

° vinirmoka  (M  20,  8 ; S 63,  3):  liberation,  emancipation. 

°vimallkrta  (M  3,  6)  : cleansed. 
virdma  (H  22, 1)  : “absence  of  Rama. 

vilasin  (H  115,  3):  *serpent  (cf.  Zachariae,  Beitrdge  zur  indischen 
Lexikographie,  p.  30,  Berlin,  1883). 

°vilokayant  (H  207,  1) : solitary. 

visada  (M  67,  5 ; S212,  1):  “cloud. 

visesaka  (H  212,  2):  “without  auspicious  signs. 

cvisadrsatd  (M  xoi,  14):  inequality,  unlikeness. 

viratara  (H  112,  1):  *arrow  (cf.  Zachariae,  op.  cit.  p.  76). 

*vdihasika  (M  54,  1 ; S 156,  1):  buffoon,  jester. 

s 

sakuna  (H  144,  1):  “festal  song,  Holi  song. 

°sahfo'takarna  (M  93,  8)  : thief. 
sarana  (H  260,  1):  “refugee. 

°sarmada  (M  91,  6):  name  of  a river  (faulty  writing  for  narmadd). 
saldka  (H  55,  1):  *maina  bird. 

sdlabhanjikd  (H  no,  1) : “a  Vidyadharl  (less  probably,  a class  of 
heroine;  see  Lacote,  Essai  sur  Gunadhya  et  la  Brhatkalha,  pp.  222-225, 
Paris,  1908). 

°sikharagatasuryacandramastd  (H  90,  1) : state  of  having  the  sun  and 
the  moon  on  the  summit. 

°sikharatd  (H  85,  3) : state  of  having  a peak. 
sikharin  (H  168,  2):  *tree. 

°sithu  (Trichinopoly  ed.,  84,  3):  spirituous  liquor  (faulty  writing  for 
sidfni,  sldhii). 


LEXICOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX 


213 


csurapala  (M  95,  3;  S 314,  3):  name  of  a certain  Vaisya. 
sodhana  (H  209,  2):  °teacher. 

iyamd  (M  18,  8 ; S 58,  x) : °night  (also  in  Kalavilasakavya,  1.  33  ; see 
Meyer,  Altindische  Schelvienbiicher,  2.  155,  Leipzig,  1903). 
sravas  (H  150,  1) : *ear. 

°svitray  \jvitriia ] (H  184,  4) : to  make  leprous. 

*svetardds  (M  25,  2 ; S 77,  2):  moon. 


safpada  (H  249,  1):  *louse. 


s 


s 

sa  (H  296,  4)  : *lord. 

samflesa  (M  72,  15) : "paronomasia. 

°sahgrahtti  (M  6,  5) : capture,  seizure. 

csanjlvanikd  (M  89,  7 ; S 300,  2) : name  of  a girl. 

salpatha  (M  43,  3;  114,  10;  S 130,  x ; 355,  9):  "path  of  the  planets. 

sad+sama  [ samasadita ] (H  12,  1):  °to  uphold. 

°saddrama  (H  295,  6) : goodly  garden. 

sanida  (M  103,  13  ; S 330,  5):  Neighbouring,  near. 

sani  (S  303,  3) : "Brahma. 

°santdpaia  (H  165,  3):  grief,  sorrow. 
sandhyaraga  (H  58,  4):  *sort  of  redness,  red  lead. 
saprapahca  (H  195,  1):  "full  of  innuendo. 

*samasddya  (H  21 1,  2):  attainable,  desirable  (cf.  sad  + sa?na  above). 
samtidaya  (M  100,  5 ; S 323,  4):  *rising  (of  the  sun). 

°sammohinI  (M  25,  7)  : confusion. 

°sdgarasayin  (H  13,  1):  Narayana. 

°si(alva  (H  197,  1):  bondage. 
sindiira  (H  247,  2) : *a  sort  of  tree. 

°sugandhavdha  (H  147,  3):  (1)  bearing  perfume;  (2)  goodly  breeze. 

sumukha  (H  34,  1):  ^learned,  wise. 

surata  (M  87,  4 ; S 295,  6) : "name  of  a girl. 

surasundarl  (H  42,  3):  "a  sort  of  fish. 

suri  ( M 67,  6 ; 8212,2):  Nun. 

0 suryaimaja  (M  45,  10;  S 135,  4):  the  River  Yamuna  (Jumna). 
srgala  (H  29,  2):  "coward. 

°sautrdma  (H  288,  8) : relating  to  Sutraman  (Indra). 
strimaya  (H  274,  1):  "loving  women,  addicted  to  women. 

*sthapulay  [ sihaputita ] (M  37,  8;  S 113,  2):  to  make  uneven. 


214 


vAsavadattA 


h 

hamsa  (H  36,  1 ; 113,  1):  (1)  “slaying,  murderous;  (2)  “pure. 
harikantha  (H  149,  4):  (1)  *possessed  of  a sweet  note;  (2)  *hand- 
ome  neck. 

harin  (H  214,2):  “wrathful. 

hasa  (M  19,  2) : “a  certain  rdga,  or  musical  mode. 

°himanin  (H  23,  2):  snowy. 

Here  also  may  be  noted  five  verb-forms  supplementary  to  Whitney’s 
Roots,  Verb-Forms,  and  Primary  Derivatives  0/  the  Sanskrit  Language 
(Leipzig,  1887):  itar  (H  213,  3),  primary  derivative  from  i:  to  go  (cf. 
Lindner,  Altindische  Nominalbildung,  pp.  72-75,  Jena,  1878)  [not  in]; 
acikamata  (H  154,  1),  aorist  of  kam:  to  love  [only  Brahmanas  cited  for 
this  form];  acakahksat  (H  155,  1),  aorist  of  kahks : to  desire  [only  lexi- 
cographers cited  for  this  form];  papata  (H  186,  1),  perfect  of  pat:  to 
burst  [not  in];  and  hamsa  (H  36,  1),  primary  derivative  from  han  : 
to  kill  (cf.  Lindner,  op.  cit.  pp.  no-111)  [not  in]. 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 

INDO-IRANIAN  SERIES 

Edited  by  A.  V.  Williams  Jackson 
Professor  of  Indo-Iranian  Languages  in  Columbia  University 


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New  Persian,  Afghan,  and  other  Indo-Iranian  dialects. 

Volume  3.  A Bibliography  of  the  Sanskrit  Drama,  with 
an  Introductory  Sketch  of  the  Dramatic  Literature  of  India. 
By  Montgomery  Schuyler,  Jr.,  A.M.,  sometime  Fellow  in 
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relating  to  the  Hindu  drama.  The  introduction  furnishes  a convenient 
epitome  of  the  whole  subject. 


2 


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Volume  5.  Sayings  of  Buddha : the  Iti-vuttaka,  a Pali  work 
of  the  Buddhist  canon,  for  the  first  time  translated,  with  intro- 
duction and  notes.  By  J ustin  Hartley  Moore,  A.M.,  Ph.D. 
(Columbia),  Instructor  in  French  in  the  College  of  the  City  of 
New  York.  New  York,  1908. 

Cloth,  8vo,  pp.  xx + 140,  $1.50  net 

This  volume  presents  a Buddhistic  work  not  hitherto  accessible  in  transla- 
tion. The  introduction  treats  of  the  composition  and  general  character 
of  the  work,  the  authenticity  of  certain  of  its  sections,  and  the  chief 
features  of  its  style  and  language. 

Volume  6.  The  Nyaishes,  or  Zoroastrian  Litanies.  Avestan 
text  with  the  Pahlavi,  Sanskrit,  Persian,  and  Gujarati  versions, 
edited  together  and  translated  with  notes.  (Khordah  Avesta, 
Part  1.)  By  Maneckji  Nusservanji  Dhalla,  A.M.,  Ph.D. 
New  York,  1908.  Cloth,  8vo,  pp.  xxii  + 235,  $**5°  net 

The  Pahlavi  text,  here  edited  and  translated  for  the  first  time,  is  the  result 
of  a collation  of  seventeen  manuscripts  and  forms  an  addition  to  the 
existing  fund  of  Pahlavi  literature.  The  introduction  gives  an  account  of 
the  MS.  material  and  discusses  the  relation  of  the  various  versions,  their 
characteristics,  and  their  value. 

Volume  7.  The  DaSarupa,  a treatise  on  Hindu  dramaturgy  by 
Dhanamjaya,  now  first  translated  from  the  Sanskrit,  with  the 
text  and  an  introduction  and  notes.  By  George  C.  O.  Haas, 
A.M.,  Ph.D.,  sometime  Fellow  in  Indo-Iranian  Languages  in 
Columbia  University.  New  York,  1912. 

Cloth,  8vo,  pp.  xlv  + 169,  $1.50  net 

This  work,  composed  at  the  court  of  King  Munja  of  Malava  in  the  latter 
half  of  the  tenth  century,  is  one  of  the  three  most  important  treatises  on 
the  canons  of  dramatic  composition  in  India.  The  translation  here 
presented  is  prefaced  by  an  introduction  dealing  chiefly  with  the  style  and 
characteristics  of  the  work  and  its  commentary.  The  notes  include,  as 
a special  feature,  references  to  parallel  passages  in  all  available  drama- 
turgic and  rhetorical  treatises. 


3 


Volume  8.  Vasavadatta,  a Sanskrit  Romance  by  Subandhu. 
Translated,  with  an  introduction  and  notes,  by  Louis  H.  Gray, 
Ph.D.  New  York,  1913.  Cloth,  8vo,  pp.  xiii  + 214,  $1.50  net 

This  romance  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  the  artificial  and  ornate  style 
in  Sanskrit  prose.  Besides  the  translation,  the  volume  will  also  contain 
the  transliterated  text  of  the  South  Indian  recension,  which  differs  to 
a noteworthy  degree  from  that  of  Hall,  and  a bibliography.  The  relation 
of  the  Sanskrit  romance  to  the  Occidental,  especially  the  Greek,  will  be 
discussed  in  the  introduction,  and  the  notes  will  include  parallels  of  incident 
in  modem  Indian  and  other  folk-tales,  as  well  as  points  of  resemblance 
with  other  Sanskrit  romances. 


VOLUMES  IN  PREPARATION 

In  addition  to  the  Sanskrit  Grammar  for  Beginners,  the  fol- 
lowing volumes  are  also  in  preparation  : 

The  Sanskrit  Poems  of  Mayura,  edited  with  a translation  and 
notes  and  an  introduction,  together  with  Bana’s  Candlsataka 
and  Manatunga’s  Bhaktamarastotra,  by  G.  Payn  Quackenbos, 
A.M.,  Tutor  in  Latin,  College  of  the  City  of  New  York. 

This  volume  presents  the  works  of  a Sanskrit  poet  of  the  seventh  century. 
Besides  the  Suryasataka  it  includes  also  the  Mayurastaka,  printed  for  the 
first  time  from  the  unique  birch-bark  MS.  in  the  Tubingen  University 
Library.  The  introduction  gives  an  account  of  Mayura’s  life  and  works, 
and  the  appendixes  will  contain  the  text  and  translation  of  the  supposedly 
rival  poems  by  Bana  and  Manatunga. 

Priyadarsika,  a Hindu  Drama  ascribed  to  King  Harsha.  Trans- 
lated from  the  Sanskrit  and  Prakrit  by  G.  K.  Nariman  and 
A.  V.  Williams  Jackson,  with  notes  and  an  introduction  by 
the  latter. 

This  romantic  drama  on  the  adventures  of  a lost  princess  was  supposedly 
written  by  Harsha,  king  of  Northern  India  in  the  seventh  century,  and  is 
now  to  be  published  for  the  first  time  in  English  translation.  Besides 
giving  an  account  of  the  life  and  times  of  the  author,  the  introduction 
will  deal  also  with  the  literary,  linguistic,  and  archaeological  aspects  of 
the  play. 


4 


Yashts,  or  Hymns  of  Praise,  from  the  Khordah  Avesta. 
Avestan  text  with  the  Pahlavi,  Sanskrit,  Persian,  and  Gujarati 
versions,  edited  together  and  translated,  with  notes,  by 
Maneckji  Nusservanji  Dhalla,  A.M.,  Ph.D. 

This  volume  is  a continuation  of  the  edition  of  the  Khordah  Avesta  begun 
with  the  Nyaishes  in  volume  6 of  the  series  and  will  be  uniform  with  that 
volume  in  plan  and  arrangement. 


The  following  volume,  not  in  the  Indo-Iranian  Series,  is  also 
published  by  the  Columbia  University  Press  : 

Zoroaster,  the  Prophet  of  Ancient  Iran.  By  A.  V.  Williams 
Jackson.  New  York,  1899. 

Cloth,  8vo,  pp.  xxiii  + 314,  $3.00  net 

This  work  aims  to  collect  in  one  volume  all  that  is  known  about  the  great 
Iranian  prophet.  The  story  of  the  life  and  ministry  of  Zoroaster  is  told 
in  twelve  chapters,  and  these  are  followed  by  appendixes  on  explanations 
of  Zoroaster’s  name,  the  date  of  the  Prophet,  Zoroastrian  chronology, 
Zoroaster’s  native  place  and  the  scene  of  his  ministry,  and  classical  and 
other  passages  mentioning  his  name.  A map  and  three  illustrations 
accompany  the  volume. 


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